The government has put social media users on notice that deliberately spreading false information about the country’s energy situation could land them behind bars, with the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) saying its anti-disinformation unit is already working with prosecutors to build cases.
PCO Acting Secretary Dave M. Gomez said Sunday that the agency’s anti-fake-news desk, operating under the Oplan Kontra Fake News initiative, is coordinating with the Department of Justice to file charges against those found spreading deceptive content or manipulating energy-related market information.
“Any attempt to mislead the public about energy security, supply, or pricing to sow confusion will be treated as a serious offense,” Gomez said.
Under Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code, publishing false news carries a penalty of up to six months in prison — a punishment that doubles when the offense is committed online under the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
Gomez said the PCO is ramping up surveillance of social media platforms and broader information ecosystems as part of the crackdown. “We are intensifying monitoring of social media and information ecosystems to detect and counter deliberate disinformation campaigns,” he said.
The warning comes amid what Gomez described as an “energy emergency,” with the PCO chief arguing that fabricated or misleading posts risk eroding public confidence and destabilizing the economy. “There will be zero tolerance for those who maliciously and deliberately commit these acts to advance their personal or political vested interest,” he said.
Gomez also called on ordinary users to pause before amplifying unverified content. “To every Filipino on social media: stop and think before you post or hit ‘share.’ In these difficult times, sharing unverified posts can cause public harm,” he said, urging the public to cross-check information against official government channels.
“Let us work together to prevent the manipulation of critical energy information for personal or political gain,” Gomez added.Spreading energy misinformation online could put you in jail, PCO says
