CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government will be going after the people behind the fake “Cebu City Government” page that has been posting unofficial information online, causing confusion to the public.
According to Lawyer Rey Gealon, the City Legal Officer and the city’s spokesperson, they are now coordinating with the Police Cybercrime Unit to trace the administrators of the page posing as the Cebu City government.
The confusion started when a post circulated saying that senior citizens and youth below 21 years old are already allowed out while the city is under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).
Under the Executive Order (EO) Number 89, the stay-at-home order remains for senior citizens and those below the age of 21, unless there is a real necessity to go out such as buying food or medicine and for work.
Previously, senior citizens and those below the age of 21 were not allowed to go out under any circumstance unless they need to go to a medical facility or to the cluster clinics for medical care.
Read: Labella’s EO No. 89 allows the reopening of more businesses in Cebu City
Read: Cebu City implements ‘more relaxed’ quarantine measures under MGCQ
“Ang tumong sa ilang gibuhat aron malibog ang mga tawo,,” said Gealon.
(Their purpose was to confuse the people.)
The city government urged residents and the public to follow the official Facebook pages of the city government. Verified information will be posted at the Cebu City Public Information Office or Mayor Edgardo Labella’s Facebook page, “Edgar Labella.”
Gealon also reminded the senior citizens and those below the age of 21 to remain at home for the rest of the quarantine period because they are the most vulnerable to developing the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID) upon infection.
The city lawyer also warned the public against spreading false information online especially with regards to the city’s COVID-19 situation as the city government will not hesitate to file charges against them. /bmjo