MANILA – The House of Representatives is set to investigate on supposed “fake news” about the reported blunders in hosting the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
Kabayan party-list Rep. Ron Salo said the House Committee on Public Information will investigate the spread of false reports that undermined the country’s efforts in staging the biennial sporting event, which will open on Saturday at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
“There was a concerted, deliberate, organized, and seemingly malicious disinformation campaign in the media to discredit the SEA Games, its organizers and the Philippines itself,” Salo said in his privilege speech.
According to Salo, there was an emerging “pattern of fake news”on the Games, including the kikiam supposedly served to the Philippine women’s football team for breakfast when in fact it was chicken sausage, and the circulating photo of the Biñan Sports Complex still being constructed when it was actually a different picture.
“As a result of these fake news, the Philippines is painted as a complete failure in its hosting, with foreign media calling it Muddle in Manila,” Salo said.
Anakalusugan party-list Representative Mike Defensor asked Salo whether purveyors of these misinformation could be made criminally liable for their acts, which the latter responded to the affirmative.
“I will definitely be happy to investigate this particular fake news being propagated either in the social media or the traditional media,” Salo said.
President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed his displeasure over the series of lapses that has so far marred the Philippines’ hosting of the SEA Games that he called for an investigation into the allegations of corruption and incompetence./PN
