BY AARON RECUENCO
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has disowned the fake accounts shut down by Facebook for what it describes as coordinated inauthentic behavior relating to Philippine politics and campaign against terrorism and local communist insurgency.
PNP spokesman Col. Ysmael Yu said the police organization adheres to institutional policy that ‘promotes observance of cyber etiquette and proper decorum’ in all public engagements including social media platforms, chat groups and private sites.
“Thus, all comments and opinions of individual personnel, associations and sectoral groups on matters that are not related to the organization’s activities are hereby disowned by the PNP as unofficial and unauthorized,” Yu said in a statement.
On Tuesday night, the cybersecurity policy chief of Facebook announced that it shut down at least 100 fake Facebook accounts which were reportedly traced to the Philippine police and military.
The fake Facebook accounts were reportedly active in discussing local news and events that include local politics, the anti-terrorism bill, criticisms on communism among others.
The social media have been turned as a battle ground for intense discussion of local politics – particularly between pro-administration and anti-administration individuals and groups. Social media also became a propaganda tool not only in politics but also in other issues. (Aaron Recuenco)
