Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers has debunked the "Galileo argument" that was used by certain vloggers and content creators in order to justify their various posts on social media, which the House tri-committee (tri-comm) has branded as fake news.

Barbers did so on Thursday, June 5 during the final hearing of the tri-comm on the spread of fake news and disinformation online in the 19th Congress.

In the four previous hearings of the joint panel, the controversial social media personalities--mostly supporters of the Duterte family--participated and were called out by the solons for allegedly spewing lies about President Marcos, administration officials, and the government affairs in general.

But in one instance, the vloggers likened themselves to Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei, whose views on heliocentrism got him in trouble with the Church in the early 17th century. 

Back then, the majority of educated people held a geocentric view, where earth was the center of the universe.  

"Ang sinabi pa ninyo noong kayo ay tinanong sa pagpapakalat ninyo ng fake news ay maaaring fake news ngayon, bukas totoo at inihalintulad nyo pa kay Galileo na ika ninyo ay ganoon din na pinag bintangan na fake news nang kanyang sinabing ang mundo ay umiikot sa araw, na makalaunan ay napatunayang tama," Barbers said.

(You once said, when questioned about your spreading of fake news, that what was considered fake news today might be true tomorrow. You even likened yourself to Galileo, who, according to you, was also accused of spreading fake news when he claimed that the Earth revolves around the Sun—something that was later proven correct.)

 

"Si Galileo po ay isang scientist (Galileo is a scientist)," the Mindanaoan stressed, as if to point out a major difference between the Italian and the vloggers.

"Gumamit ng pamamaraan at nagsaliksik hanggang sa kanyang natuklasan na ang mundo nga umiikot sa araw. Kayo po, ano po bang mga tools ang ginagamit ng mga nagbabaligtad ng simpleng katotohanan upang masabing ang kasinungalingan ninyo ang dapat paniwalaan?" asked Barbers. 

(He used methods and conducted research until he discovered that the Earth indeed revolves around the Sun. In your case, what tools do those who distort simple truths use to make people believe that their lies should be accepted?)

"Ang tanging nakita ko lamang na pagkaka pareho ninyo kay Galileo ay nang mapatunayan na totoo nga, umiikot ang mundo sa araw. Hindi habang panahon kayo at ang mga kasinungalingan ninyo ang mananaig, meron ding panahon na pag babayaran ninyo ang inyong mga kalabisan at pagta traydor sa bayan. Salamat Galileo at naisip nila na ikaw ay tama, na umiikot nga ang mundo sa araw," he continued.

(The only similarity I see between you and Galileo is that, indeed, the Earth revolves around the Sun. But falsehoods do not prevail forever, and there will come a time when you will have to answer for your excesses and betrayals of the nation. Thank you, Galileo, for proving that you were right—that the world does, in fact, revolve around the Sun.)

Barbers further chided these particular vloggers for challenging the solons to first define "fake news" before declaring their online posts or content as illegal.

"Eto po ang depinisyon ng fake news – kasinungalingan ! Yan po ang tamang depinisyon. Kung kaya’t may katapat na mga batas (This is the definition of fake news – a lie! That is the correct definition. And that’s why there are corresponding laws)," he said.

"Sa inyong pagpapa laganap ng kasinungalingan laban sa mga taong hindi nyo type, may batas kontra dito – Libel. Kung ayaw ninyong gamitin ng estado ang kapangyarihan na imbestigahan kayo sa publiko, eh tumigil kayo sa pagkakalat ng kasinungalingan," Barbers warned spreaders of fake news.

(In spreading lies against people you dislike, there is a law against it – Libel. If you don’t want the state to use its power to investigate you publicly, then stop spreading lie.)

"Lahat ng labis ay masama. Huwag ninyong turuan ang mga kabataan at ibang tao na maniwala na ang inyong ginagawa ay tama. Babalik sa inyo yan (All kinds of excess is harmful. Do not teach the youth and others to believe that what you are doing is right. It will come back to you)," he added.