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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PNP warns of possible habagat effect disinformation drive on social media

PNP warns of possible habagat effect disinformation drive on social media

Published Aug 11, 2026 01:30 pm
The Philippine National Police (PNP) warned the public, particularly netizens, to be wary of the photos and videos on social media, saying some of them could be old and fake that are deliberately posted for disinformation drives.
Issues surrounding flood control have been a very sensitive topic for Filipinos over massive corruption involving projects that were allegedly turned as a milking cow of ranking government officials.
And some of these fake and old images and videos are allegedly being exploited to direct public anger towards certain personalities.
For instance, Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union said there were efforts to use misleading photos and videos to portray the alleged massive flooding in his home province.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr. urged the public to verify information first before sharing it to avoid causing fear and panic in communities already affected by heavy rains and flooding as some of the images and videos circulating online may be fake, altered, or taken from previous weather disturbances.
“A number of kababayan need assistance and accurate information as a result of this calamity. This should be the time for compassion and bayanihan, not the time for any motive driven anger or any selfish interest,” said Nartatez.
“Let us be discerning and cautious. Not everything we see online is true,” he added.
The PNP warning came as heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon flooded parts of Metro Manila and other provinces in Luzon over the weekend. The bad weather prompted the suspension of classes and government work in affected areas.
Nartatez said the public should be careful when encountering posts that claim to show the latest situation in areas hit by habagat.
He warned that the circulation of misleading information can create a distorted picture of the situation on the ground, and may also cause unnecessary alarm among residents and make it harder for the public to distinguish actual warnings and advisories from false reports.
Nartatez reminded the public to rely on information released by government agencies and authorities when checking the weather situation, forecasts, and the effects of habagat.

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