Former Senator and 2025 senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Monday shared a simple but effective way to fight fake news: Just don’t share it.
In a message before the Elders of Valenzuela City (EVC), Lacson said Filipino netizens must know how to be discerning, and resist the temptation to share something without verifying it first.
“Fake news is a big problem now. We must be careful and discerning. But there are times we can easily tell a ‘news story’ is fake,” he said in Filipino.
“The problem with some netizens is that if they get excited, they share it. They are doing a disservice to the person at the receiving end of the fake news. So let’s not spread fake news, and let’s fight the spread of fake news,” he added.
Related: Ping Lacson, Ibinahagi ang Mabisang Paraan para Labanan ang Fake News
Lacson said he had been at the receiving end of fake news when he first became a senator in 2001, being accused of being a drug lord and a money launderer, among other things. He was even accused of having millions of dollars stashed in bank accounts.
He said he had to take steps to fight the disinformation against him, including contacting the regional officer of the bank where he supposedly had the accounts to verify the details published in newspapers at the time. The regional officer said Lacson had no such accounts as claimed in the reports.
It was not until several years later that his accusers, including former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the late former ISAFP chief Victor Corpus apologized to Lacson and admitted being duped by “informer” Angelo “Ador” Mawanay. The Philippine Daily Inquirer also issued a public apology to Lacson for publishing articles based on the accusations that turned out to be false.
“A public apology is important to me because my name had been smeared for so long,” he said when seeking a public apology from the Inquirer.
Lacson said that while he still feels the “residual effects” of the fake news against him, he has forgiven his accusers.
“We should not bear grudges. That is what my parents told me, to be forgiving. Let us not bear a grudge because that is a heavy burden to bear when you go to sleep at night,” he said.
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Ping Lacson, Ibinahagi ang Mabisang Paraan para Labanan ang Fake News
Ibinahagi nitong Lunes ni dating Senator at 2025 senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ang isang simple nguni’t mabisang paraan para labanan ang fake news: Huwag itong i-share.
Sa kanyang mensahe sa Elders of Valenzuela City (EVC), iginiit ni Lacson na dapat maging mapanuri ang mga Pilipinong netizen, at huwag i-share ito kung hindi pa ito na-verify.
“Grabe ang fake news ngayon, kaya mag-ingat tayo, maging discerning tayo. Minsan kasi pag nakakabasa tayo, alam na nating fake,” aniya.
“Ang problema sa ilan, pag na-excite tayo, sine-share pa natin. Parang we’re doing a disservice to the person at the receiving end. Huwag natin ikalat kasi fake news. At labanan natin ang pagkalat ng fake news,” dagdag niya.
Si Lacson ay naging biktima ng katakot-takot na fake news simula noong una siyang naging senador sa 2001. Kabilang sa akusasyon ay siya’y diumano’y drug lord at money launderer. Inakusahan din siyang may milyon-milyong dolyar sa mga bank accounts.
Para labanan ang fake news na ito, kailangang magsulat si Lacson sa regional officer ng bangko kung saan inakusahan siyang may bank accounts siya. Dito ay itinanggi ng regional officer na may ganoong accounts si Lacson.
Dumaan ang maraming taon bago nag-sorry ang mga nag-akusa kay Lacson, kabilang si dating Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at ang yumaong dating ISAFP chief Victor Corpus, at inaming naloko sila ng “informer” nila na si Angelo “Ador” Mawanay. Ang Philippine Daily Inquirer naman ay naglabas ng public apology kay Lacson dahil sa paglathala ng artikulong base sa impormasyong lumabas na peke pala.
“Kasi napakaimportante sa akin, nadungisan ang aking pangalan sa napakahabang panahon,” aniya, noong humingi siya ng public apology mula sa Inquirer.
Bagama’t nararamdaman pa ni Lacson ang “residual effects” ng mga fake news sa kanya, idiniin niya na pinatawad na niya ang mga nag-akusa sa kanya.
“Huwag magtanim ng sama ng loob. Alam nyo mula sa pagkabata yan ang tinuro ng magulang ko sa amin, maging mapagpatawad. Huwag magtanim ng galit, huwag magtanim ng poot kasi pagtulog mo sa gabi napakahirap ang may dinadala ka sa dibdib,” aniya.
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