ILOILO CITY – Mayor Jerry Treñas has issued a stern warning against those spreading unverified information about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“Fake news proliferators will face the full force of the law. I will not hesitate to call you out, and file charges against you,” said Treñas.
The city mayor was reacting to a Facebook post that claimed that private hospital The Medical City Iloilo (TMCI) has allegedly been concealing the rise in the number of COVID-19 positive cases among its health workers and staff.
“Every Ilonggo must cooperate in our fight to stop COVID-19 from further infecting our populace, and refrain from sharing and posting false reports that may cause panic and confusion,” Treñas said.
“This affects our city's overall unified responses to the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added.
In a separate statement, TMCI assured the “management implements strict infection control and risk assessment procedures contrary to statements mentioned”.
It was not the first time Treñas had issued a stern warning against those who are spreading fake news.
Back in March, an irate Treñas called out netizens, who shared information about Iloilo’s first COVID-19 positive case before any formal announcement could be made by any local government official or the Department of Health (DOH).