Solon seeks ₱2-M fine vs fake news peddlers

Parañaque City Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan is eyeing the passage of a measure that would impose hefty penalties of up to 12 years in prison and fines of up to P2 million on those found guilty of deliberately spreading fake news.

- By ELLSON QUISMORIO

Yamsuan filed House Bill (HB) No. 5241 that sought the harsh punishment against peddlers of false information on matters of public order and national security “to protect the Filipino people from deceptive information and ultimately, remind us all that the truth is, and must always be, the foundation of good governance."

He sponsored his anti-false information measure, along with HB No. 2697, during the hearing of the House Committee on Public Information on Tuesday, Nov. 18. The panel is chaired by Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Lordan Suan.

A technical working group (TWG), in coordination with the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology (ICT), was formed to consolidate these and 10 other measures into a substitute bill.