Manila: The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) has called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to assess and potentially file charges against four Facebook accounts accused of disseminating false information that the Supreme Court (SC) had halted the arrest of Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa.

According to Philippines News Agency, the PCO's Anti-Fake News Desk (AFND) reported that these posts falsely claimed that the SC had issued a ruling preventing authorities from arresting or surrendering Dela Rosa to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The AFND clarified that the Supreme Court had actually denied Dela Rosa's petition for a temporary restraining order against his arrest based on a warrant from the ICC.

The endorsement targets Facebook accounts and pages named KaChizmaze, Booc TVs, Cris Lademora, and Lenny Quirz/Linie Quirong. These accounts allegedly posted similar content asserting that the SC had 'officially stopped' any attempt to arrest Dela Rosa, using phrases like 'JUST IN,' 'Breaking News,' and 'landmark ruling' to present the information as legitimate news.

The PCO noted that these posts garnered significant engagement, with thousands reacting, commenting, and sharing. Some social media users questioned the validity of the claims, while others called for actions to prevent Dela Rosa's arrest.

The PCO has referred the issue to the DOJ for potential violations of Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Republic Act (RA) 10951, in connection with Section 6 of RA 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

PCO Secretary Dave Gomez emphasized the government's stance against disinformation, cautioning content creators against misrepresenting court decisions as factual reports. 'We warn vloggers and users of social media platforms: do not exploit public confusion for views, engagement, or monetization by spreading false news. Fabricating a Supreme Court ruling and presenting it as news is a serious offense,' Gomez stated.