Group chat joke causes panic in Cebu

CEBU CITY, Philippines — It started as a prank shared between six workmates on their group chat.

But when the “joke” found its way through social media alleging the Cebu City government of committing a cover-up about seven confirmed patients of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 who died and were embalmed in one of the city’s funeral homes, the resulting panic turned the digital world upside down and frayed the nerves of Cebuanos. 

 A screenshot of the fake information spread through social media causing some people to believe in it and doubt the statement of the government that no COVID-19 case has been recorded in Cebu City.

Kevin Ebbo and two of his workmates appeared before Mayor Edgardo Labella on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, to inform the chief executive that they did not mean their conversation to spread and cause undue panic.

“Kami tanan sa group chat kahibaw mi nga dili to tinood. Murag binuang ra to namo kay naghisgot mig work from home, kaning Covid. Wala mi kahibaw nga naa diay magscreenshot ato nga ishare sa uban,” said Ebbo.

(Everyone in the group chat knew that that information was not real. It was just a joke or a prank because we were talking about working from home because of the Covid. We did not know anyone in the group would spread the fake information.)

The three workmates said they are willing to cooperate with the city government to find the person responsible for sharing the group’s conversation causing panic to the public.

Lawyer Rey Gealon said they will still go after the person who spread the information through the help of the cybercrime police.

“As soon as we will have that information, we will immediately file a case for violation of Republic Act No. 10175 otherwise known as The Cybercrime Prevention Act,” said Gealon. “The cooperation of Ebbo and the others would help in the investigation of the city government.”

In his conversation with Ebbo and his workmates, he said that spreading such fake information undermines the efforts of the city government and other agencies to provide all the necessary information to the public.

“We would like to believe that the good people of Cebu City is likewise acting in whatever way they can towards that end – especially in staying at home. Please let us not allow irresponsible individuals to ruin our united and solid cause to fight this menace by reporting them to the authorities without delay,” said Gealon. /RCG