
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) filed a cybercrime complaint on Tuesday against a vlogger for spreading false information about an alleged raid on the home of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The complaint, filed by Police Regional Office 11 and the Anti-Cybercrime Group, alleges unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances under the Revised Penal Code, in conjunction with the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Randulf Tuaño stated that the complaint stems from the vlogger’s report claiming that 30 Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and 90 Special Action Force (SAF) personnel from Luzon raided Duterte’s residence on the night of April 30. These allegations were previously denied by the PNP, following similar claims made by Davao City Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte.
While the PNP is withholding the vlogger’s identity pending a warrant, Tuaño revealed the vlogger is male, began vlogging in May 2020, has produced 218 videos, amassed 218,000 subscribers, and garnered over 20 million views.
This action follows the recent launch of the Joint Anti-Fake News Action Committee (JAFNAC), a multi-agency initiative aimed at holding those responsible for spreading misinformation accountable and developing a framework for rapidly addressing false information online.