Malacañang said the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) signed a memorandum of agreement to bolster efforts against fake news, disinformation, and AI-generated deepfakes.

PCO Secretary Dave Gomez said the agreement establishes a whole-of-government approach to curb the spread of false information that threatens public safety, national security, and democratic institutions.

"We are confronting a rapidly evolving information landscape where truth is increasingly vulnerable to distortion and manipulation," Gomez said, underscoring the initiative's urgency.

"This initiative is not about curtailing free expression, but about safeguarding the Filipino people from malicious actors who exploit technology to deceive and divide," Gomez added.

The agreement mandates joint efforts to detect, investigate, and prosecute deliberate online falsehoods under existing laws, including the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

Justice Secretary Frederick Vida said the initiative is "a pivotal step in safeguarding our democracy from the shadows of digital disinformation."

"Digitally mediated falsehoods… have emerged as potent weapons against our national stability," Vida added.

Vida also stressed that enforcement will respect rights as their commitment is clear: proactive defense, not overreach.

"We draw a firm line between criminal disinformation and protected speech," the DOJ chief said.

In signing the agreement, DICT Secretary Henry Aguda highlighted the evolving nature of threats, noting, "this is no longer just simple gossip. Now, lies can look real, divide, and erode public trust when clarity is most needed."

Aguda emphasized shared accountability, adding, “This is not just government acting on its own. This is a national responsibility.”

The PCO will lead government communications, advisories, and media literacy campaigns, while the DICT will engage technology platforms, strengthen cybersecurity, and support reporting systems such as eGovPH.

On the other hand, the DOJ will evaluate cases for prosecution and coordinate international action against transnational disinformation.

An inter-agency steering committee will oversee implementation, ensure data protection, and publish annual reports.

A complaint will be filed this week against individuals behind alleged fake posts, Gomez said as they have finalized evidence and documented patterns of the surge in fake news.

The PCO chief said the case is being built on a solid factual basis while stressing that personal interpretations of the content will not be used to avoid spreading misinformation.

“This week, we’re putting together all the pieces of evidence para handa na kaming magsampa ng reklamo para may solid na batayan yung reklamo namin (so that we’re ready to file a complaint and have a solid basis for it with regards to patterns in trends," Gomez noted.

Gomez said that while there are observable online patterns, the government is exercising caution to avoid spreading unverified claims itself.

Several fake posts monitored over the weekend have already been included in the evidence being prepared, including the false claim about President Marcos's health condition, Gomez said.