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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Sotto presses NTC to look into persistent use of text messaging as a black propaganda tool

Sotto presses NTC to look into persistent use of text messaging as a black propaganda tool

Published Feb 14, 2022 01:33 pm

Vice presidential candidate Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III on Monday, Feb.14 pressed the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to look into the persistent use of text messaging as a black propaganda tool to spread lies and fake news to smear the integrity of personalities or groups.

Sotto, chairman of Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), said the NTC must exercise its regulatory power over the country’s telecommunication companies (telcos) and order them to hit the brakes on the continued use of text messaging as an instrument to spread disinformation.

“The people or groups behind text scams are able to access the mobile phone numbers of individuals. Paanong nakakapag-text sila sa mga phone numbers ng iba’t ibang telcos ? (How could they use text messages of phone numbers of various telcos?). Paano nila nakuha ang mga phone numbers? (How were they able to get these phone numbers?). May kakuntsaba ba sila sa loob? (Do they have inside informants?). Internal job ba ito? (Is this an inside job?). Kailangang sagutin ito ng NTC at ng mga telcos natin (These should be answered by the NTC and the telcos),” Sotto said.

Sotto made his remarks amid the spread of text messages alleging that he and Senator Richard Gordon pressured their colleagues to sign the report issued by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee finding President Duterte guilty of betrayal of public trust in connection with his actions related to the government's multi-billion-peso contracts with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation.

Aside from the President, the committee also recommended plunder, graft and other criminal and administrative charges against Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, former government officials, and Pharmally executives.

The circulating text message state: “No to Gordon & Sotto pressuring other senators to sign their blue ribbon sham report. Continuing their TRIAL BY PUBLICITY IN AID OF ELECTION! MGA EPAL!”

Sotto maintained that it is the job of NTC to ensure the integrity of our telecommunication industry.

‘’Paanong nakakalusot ang mga scam na tulad nito? (How was this kind of scam able to escape notice?). Paulit-ulit na lang ito (This is becoming a habit). Wala bang ginagawa ang NTC at ang mga telcos natin kung kaya’t tuloy-tuloy ang business nitong mga scammers na ito? (Are the NTC and the telcos not doing anything that is why the businesses of scammers go unchecked?)," he lamented.

"Nananawagan ako sa NTC na mabilisang aksyunan at alamin kung paanong mapapahinto ang pagkalat ng mga scam tulad nito (I call on the NTC to act immediately and determine how it could stop the spread of these scams),” he said.

Related Tags

Tito Sotto Pharmally probe black propaganda National Telecommunications Commission (NTC)
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