DOJ to review cyber laws in bid vs misinformation, 'fake news'
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to review existing cyber libel and other cyber laws to bolster efforts against the spread of misinformation online.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla made the announcement in response to questions about potential legal action against those disseminating false information.
"We're examining cyber libel laws and other cyber legislation. If amendments are necessary, we'll propose them," Remulla said at an ambush interview on Monday, March 3.
Remulla said there is no specific timeline for filing cases, as each instance requires thorough evaluation to determine the extent of misinformation, gather evidence and determine appropriate penalties.
Remulla also defended the review against criticisms of conflict of interest, insisting it does not target specific individuals or groups.
"We're not exempting anyone, nor are we focusing on particular entities. Anyone involved in spreading false information will be investigated and charged," he said.
Existing legislation. The Philippines currently has no law penalizing "fake news," or information that is intentionally false and misleading, disseminated online.
The closest existing law is the cyberlibel provision in the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, which defines defamation committed on the internet similarly to the Revised Penal Code.
In 2014, the Cybercrime Prevention Act faced constitutional challenges from 15 petitioners, who argued that provisions like cyber libel could have a chilling effect on guaranteed freedoms.
The Supreme Court, however, ultimately upheld most of the law's provisions, including those related to cyber libel.
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