ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo (Facebook)

If you know that a certain social media post is fake news, then don't share it anymore.

This was senatorial candidate ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo's simple yet powerful tip against the spread of fake news, even as he called on Filipinos "to take responsibility" on the matter.

“Kapag alam mong fake, huwag mong i-share. Dapat may mabigat na parusa sa nagpapakalat ng fake content (If you already know that it's fake, then don't share it. There should be harsh penalties for spreading fake news)," Tulfo, a member of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate, said.

“Kailangan ho tayo may batas doon pati ’yung mga nagshe-share na ’yan, sasabit din. Karamihan ho niyan, hindi gobyerno—individual person ho ang tatamaan,” he pointed out.

(We need to have a law that also punishes those who share such content. Most of those will involve not the government, but individual persons.)

Tulfo, a consistent survey topnotcher, gave these remarks even as his colleagues in the House of Representatives, particularly in the tri-committee (tri-comm), held an inquiry about the spread of fake news and disinformation online on Friday, March 21.

He stressed that fake news affects not just public officials but everyday citizens.

“Hindi lang po gobyerno ang biktima niyan. Every individual nagiging biktima (Government isn't the sole victim. Each individual can become a victim),” Tulfo said.

He cited daily complaints received by his Action Center from private citizens falsely accused on social media.