Labella orders probe on false info on senior citizens’ aid distribution

Senior Citizens line up on June 10 at the Cebu Coliseum to get their financial assistance. | Gerard Vincent Francisco

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella has ordered the investigation of the persons who allegedly spread false information on social media that the deadline of the distribution of the financial assistance for senior citizens is only up to June 15, 2020.

In a phone interview with CDN Digital, Labella said he had received reports of certain Facebook pages allegedly spreading false information to the public that the senior citizens should claim the financial assistance personally in the City Hall.

Read more: Senior Citizens in Cebu City brave rain for P3K financial assistance

This despite the executive order of Labella specifically detailing that the senior citizen may claim their assistance at the City Hall only when the quarantine has been lifted.

As the city remains under the general community quarantine, senior citizens are still not allowed to go out freely as a precautionary measure.

“I have directed the City Legal Office and the Philippine National Police to investigate who spread the message that the senior citizens should go to the City Hall to get their financial assistance. That is a violation of the Bayanihan Act, spreading false information that can cause a commotion.

“The senior citizens should not be going out until the quarantine is lifted. There are messages on Facebook pages spreading this information, the police will investigate them for cybercrime,” said Labella.

Labella said that the perpetrators of the false messages should be held liable for the commotion at the Cebu City Hall on Wednesday, June 10, 2020.

The mayor said he wants these messages to be traced and the perpetrators be charged for violating the Bayanihan Act and the Cybercrime Law.

Labella urged the public to stop spreading false information online that could potentially risk the health of the vulnerable members of the community especially the senior citizens.

Read more: Cebu City OSCA chief on the senior citizens going to city hall

Finally, Labella urged the guardians of the senior citizens, who had yet to claim their financial assistance, to use an authorization letter in claiming the money so the senior citizens could remain at home safely. /dbs