Last Friday, I was surprised to see my household staff weeping and I asked why, and my cook answered, “Patay na daw po si Kris Aquino.” I asked them if they were sure because there are a lot of fake news that go around. They told me that it’s all over Facebook. So I started surfing the net, and it was a good thing there was an entry from the Queen of All Media’s Chief of Staff Alvin Gagui that it was fake news. The first thing I asked my household staff was if they started reposting the fake news on Kris Aquino’s death or posting words such as “RIP Kris Aquino” because they can be held liable in the office of the National Bureau of Investigation for posting fake news. They said they did not, but just started crying together. I told them to save their tears, for she was alive and preparing to fly to the United States for medication.

While surfing the net if the news was indeed fake, I saw entries on YouTube from That's Showbiz Official with 379,000 views with the deceiving headline “Just In: Kris Aquino Pumanaw na raw” but if you watch the video, the storyteller is telling everyone about a dream that reporter Christie Fermin had about Kris Aquino dying. I even fell off my seat when I saw the vlog description of Buhay Artista at Politiko’s entry which is “Kris Aquino ililibing na. Bimbey hinimatay sa kakaiyak." Aside from the shocking vlog headline, the cover picture was a white coffin with a picture frame of Kris Aquino on top of the coffin. The opening video is scene where ladies were crying on top of the coffin. In the video the narrator tells us, “Nakakagulat na balita ang nalaman ng media na diumano ay hindi sakit ang ikinamatay ni Kris. Sa ngayon hindi ipinakita ang full video ng dahilan ng pagkamatay ni Kris. Pero base sa haka-haka ay isang krimen ang nangyari mismo sa hospital. Ayon sa isang reliable source ay tutoo diumano na sinadyang patayin umano si Kris kahit ito ay nasa loob ng hospital. Dahil dito dismayado ang pamilyang Aquino at duda kung bakit diumano ay nakapasok ang criminal sa hospital ng Singapore. Sinisi din ng pamilyang Aquino ang katangahan umano ng sariling doctor ni Kris na kung bakit hindi nila nabantayan......kalunos-lunos umano ang sinapit ni Kris Aquino sa mga ginawa ng criminal ayon sa ating reliable source.....Ayon pa sa update ng nakakita umano o isang witness ay binaboy muna si Kris Aquino bago pinaslang." I honestly find this vlog entry atrocious and horrifyingly wicked. And the worse part is that this YouTuber garnered 260,000 views from it!

This is a fair warning to YouTubers and netizens spreading fake news. You can be sent to jail by spreading fake news. There is a law called Republic Act 10175 or the Cyber Crime Prevention Act of 2012. This law was created to put an end to disinformation made by individuals who abuse their freedom by spreading lies that inflict harm on others. First, the offender will be sent a subpoena from the NBI if they receive a complaint in the Office of the Cyber Crime Division about the fake news. The case that will be filed against someone spreading fake news in social media is cyber libel and is punishable by law, hence you can go to jail with irresponsible reporting. Just today, while I am writing this column, I have received again another fake news that President Joseph Ejercito Estrada died. I had to disturb his busy brother Jesse Ejercito if the news was true. And as expected, it was indeed fake news.

Lastly, Kris is already sick. Why inflict more harm and stress on the actress? The best thing we can offer her is our prayers, so she can be on the road to recovery. Let’s spread kindness, everyone.