NBI ordered to probe, ‘charge persons responsible’ for fake news on nCoV
Credit to Author: William B. Depasupil| Date: Tue, 04 Feb 2020 12:41:00 +0000
JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to arrest individuals disseminating false information about the 2019 novel Coronavirus (n-CoV).
In Department Order (DO) 052, Guevarra also instructed NBI Director Dante Gierran to coordinate with the Department of Health (DoH) and provide technical assistance, if necessary, in contract tracing individuals who may have interacted with the two Chinese nationals who were confirmed positive for the n-CoV.
“…. [NBI] Director Dante Gierran, is hereby directed and granted authority to conduct an investigation and case build-up on the alleged deliberate spread of misinformation and fake news about the 2019-nCoV ARD [acute respiratory disease] and false reporting of 2019-nCoV ARD cases and, if evidence warrants, to file the appropriate charges against persons found responsible therefore,” said Guevarra.
Guevarra had asked the NBI to locate those persons who interacted with the two Chinese carriers of the novel coronavirus.
Guevarra issued the order as false information on the alleged cure or ways to treat or prevent the disease continued to spread on social media.
One post — shared 16,000 times on Facebook — advises users in the Philippines to “keep your throat moist”, avoid spicy food and “load up on vitamin C” to prevent the disease.