New Duterte group cannot police members' social media use

MANILA, Philippines — The newest alliance of supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte said it will try to encourage positive discourse on the use of social media but cannot promise to police its members.

Rabid supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte have been accused of peddling fake news and misinformation in social media. They have also been accused of posting rude comments on users that they deemed critical of the current administration.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, who headed the launch on Monday at Taguig City, said that the group was launched to encourage positive action from the members of the alliance: "Make our respective groups a positive voice in our communities."

READ: Duterte supporters launch Tapang at Malasakit Alliance

She stressed that the country is facing a crucial time as the rebuilding of war-torn Marawi City starts."I believe in dissent because it is a facet of democracy, however it is a different matter altogether if you lie just to oppose and paint the world as a sad and hopeless Philippines," the younger Duterte added.

According to list by Tapang and Malasakit organizers, more than 1,000 people from different groups expected at launch. | @kristinepatag pic.twitter.com/UnfxwiaZae

— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) October 23, 2017

During a press conference after the launch, the presidential daughter was asked on one of the criticisms against pro-Duterte supporters who are believed to spread misinformation in their social media accounts ang blogs.

Among the members of the alliance are RJ Nieto of the Thinking Pinoy blog and Presidential Communications Office Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson.

The two were invited as resources speakers at the Senate probe on proliferation of fake news, where the two claimed that they are at the brunt of fake news. Nieto and Uson were caught several times posting wrong information on their social media pages.

The Davao City mayor said that she will tell them to "come together for our country, and not go against each other to the detriment for our country."

"We need to help each other out now," she added.

No rules on expelling members

For her part, Karen Jimeno, spokesperson of Tapang at Malasakit, said that group has no charter and does not have rules on expelling members who may be spreading fake news or misinformation among the group.

She also said that they cannot pick the members of the coalition and be imposed with rules: "We did not choose our members. They are the ones who chose to be part of the alliance."

"It should be clear to them that the purpose is to help the country," Jimeno also said, adding: "The alliance is not about below the belt hirit (insults)."

"Let's make social media a safe space, a communal conversation where we can exchange views," she added.

Nieto has been accused of exposing the identity behind the Pinoy Ako Blog and posting her law school which led to her filing of a leave of absence from work and school due to online bashing.

Jover Laurio said that she is looking into filing a civil case against Nieto and other pro-Duterte bloggers.

The newest alliance of Duterte supporters boasts of more than a hundred groups and more than a thousand members.