Remain professional and loyal to the country. This was former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson’s message to the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines, amid reported calls for partisan activity following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Lacson also said Saturday that members of the PNP and AFP should double-check such calls especially those made through social media, because of the proliferation of fake news.
“They should remain professional and loyal to their duty. That is the best message,” he said in Filipino in an interview on DZRH radio.
“In this day and age of information technology, fake news spreads fast. And we know that is in their training to conduct fact-checking first. If there are reports of partisan activity, they should not get involved,” he added.
Related: Ping Lacson sa PNP, AFP: Manatiling Propesyonal sa Gitna ng ‘Panawagan’ para sa Partisan Action
Lacson had served in the AFP as a member of the Philippine Constabulary (PC) from 1971 to 1991. He also served in the PNP, heading the institution from 1999 to 2001.
Meanwhile, Lacson said he is studying possible legislation to crack down on fake news, noting the current laws against cyber-libel may need more teeth.
Unless laws are strengthened against fake news and cyber-libel, he said these threats may undermine our culture and destroy good manners and right conduct.
“We must focus on penalizing the spread of fake news. This threatens our culture, and contributes to the destruction of our good manners and right conduct,” he said.
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Ping Lacson sa PNP, AFP: Manatiling Propesyonal sa Gitna ng ‘Panawagan’ para sa Partisan Action
Manatiling propesyonal at tapat sa tungkulin. Ito ang mensahe ni dating Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Sabado sa Philippine National Police at Armed Forces of the Philippines, sa gitna ng naiulat na panawagan para sa “partisan activity” matapos arestuhin si dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.
Ani Lacson, dapat ding i-double check ng myembro ng PNP at AFP ang ganoong panawagan, lalo na ang mga dinaan sa social media, dahil sa mabilis na pagkalat ng fake news.
“Manatiling professional at tapat sa kanilang tungkulin. Yan lang siguro ang pinakamagandang mensahe,” aniya sa panayam sa DZRH radio.
“In this day and age of IT, maraming fake news na kumakalat. Alam naman natin, nasa training nila yan, dapat meron silang fact checking lagi. At kung meron mang ganoong balita, huwag sila makihalo,” dagdag niya.
Naging myembro si Lacson sa Philippine Constabulary (PC) ng AFP mula 1971 hanggang 1991. Naging myembro din siya ng PNP, at naging hepe nito mula 1999 hanggang 2001.
Samantala, pinagaaralan ni Lacson ang posibleng paggawa ng panukalang batas para labanan ang fake news, dahil tila hindi sapat ang kasalukuyang batas laban sa cyber-libel.
Aniya, kailangang palakasin ang mga batas laban sa fake news at cyber-libel, na banta sa ating kultura at kagandahang asal.
“Siguro dapat pagtuunan ng pansin bigyan ng karampatang kaparusahan o sanction kung ano man yan ang pagkalat ng fake news. Nakakasira din ito mismo sa kultura natin. Nakaka-contribute sa pagsira ng ating kagandahang asal,” aniya.
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