Palma to broadcasters: Don’t spread fake news

CARMELITE 2017 FIESTA/JULY 16,2017:Arch Jose Palma celebrate mass to Our Lady of Mount Carmel at Carmelite Monastery in Barangay Mabolo as they celebrate their fiesta.(CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma challenged members of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) – Cebu to stay true to the practice of truthful and objective reporting and to do away with spreading unverified reports.

In his homily during the mass offered for the opening of Broadcaster’s Week on Sunday, Palma urged the media to protect the discipline of objective and truthful reporting.

“Please help us in spreading the divine word especially with the proliferation of fake news,” appealed Palma.

Palma quoted the Pope who called the spread of fake news as “danger signs.”

“Disinformation is probably the greatest damage that the media can do, as opinion is guided in one direction, neglecting the other part of the truth,” Pope Francis had said in an interview published in the Belgian Catholic weekly – Tertio – last year after he, himself, repeatedly fell victim to the spread of fake news on social media.

Earlier this year, unverified reports like bomb scares have also circulated over the internet and have caused panic among citizens.

In June of this year, a bill seeking to penalize the spread of fake news was filed at the Philippine Senate.

Under Senate Bill 1492 entitled “An Act Penalizing the Malicious Distribution of False News and Other Related Violations,” those found guilty of spreading fake news could be penalized with imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to P5 million.

The bill that was authored by Senator Joel Villanueva also proposed to impose stiffer fines for government officials who will be found guilty of spreading reports which are not based on facts.

In this case, the officials could face imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to P10 million, under Villanueva’s proposed law.