Palace said the ICC arrest warrant against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa remains valid after the Supreme Court did not issue a TRO to stop its enforcement. (Mark Balmores / Manila Bulletin/file)
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) has endorsed to the Department of Justice (DOJ) the filing of charges against four social media accounts falsely claiming that the Supreme Court has stopped Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa’s arrest.
"The Supreme Court, in fact, denied Senator Dela Rosa’s petition for a temporary restraining order to stop his arrest on the basis of a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC)," the PCO Anti-Fake News Desk said in its narrative report on Monday, June 1.
According to PCO Director Robertzon Ramirez, who heads the Anti-Fake News Desk, the Facebook accounts published substantially similar posts claiming that the Supreme Court had “officially stopped” any attempt to arrest or surrender dela Rosa to the ICC or any foreign authority.
The posts were presented as news, using phrases such as “JUST IN,” “Breaking News,” “landmark ruling,” and “The Court clearly stated,” which may relate to Article 154, paragraph 1 of the Revised Penal Code, Ramirez said.
The PCO noted that the posts have since generated thousands of reactions, comments, and shares, with some users asking whether the claim was true or calling to stop dela Rosa’s arrest.
It added that the matter was endorsed for evaluation for possible violation of Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Republic Act No. 10951, in relation to Section 6 of Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
PCO Secretary Dave Gomez reiterated the government’s serious drive to stop the dissemination of disinformation and fake news on social media.
“We warn vloggers and users of social media platforms: do not exploit public confusion for views, engagement, or monetization by spreading false news. Fabricating a Supreme Court ruling and presenting it as news is a serious offense,” Gomez said.
He added that the PCO will continue to monitor, document, and refer verified criminal disinformation to the proper authorities.
On May 25, the Supreme Court denied dela Rosa's application for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against his possible arrest over the warrant issued by the ICC “for lack of merit.”