By Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque has denied that the Duterte administration is encouraging the spread of fake news.
Roque said that it is not the government’s policy to encourage or spread fake news.
He had been criticized for his remark in a press conference over the weekend that real news will not be determined without the existence of fake news.
“What I said earlier that without fake news we would not know what is true news should not be taken as governmental encouragement of fake news. Far from it,” Roque said. “For sure and to be clear, fake news as is known today should find no place as a matter of governmental policy,” he added.
The Palace official said people are smart enough to determine the real from fake news. “Enlightened citizens should be able to pick out chaff from grain and appreciate what good journalism is about,” Roque said.
