NBI: No politics in fake vaccination news

MANILA, Philippines — An official of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said there was no political motive behind the false information that led to chaos in Metro Manila’s vaccination sites last week.

Speaking to One News’ “Agenda” yesterday, NBI cybercrime division chief Vic Lorenzo said there was no evidence yet that politics was behind the false information.

The disinformation that circulated on social media drove people to swarm inoculation sites over fears that only vaccinated residents would receive lockdown aid and quarantine passes.

“Circumstantial evidence plays an important role. We look at the motive in our probe and we are not seeing this to be politically motivated,” Lorenzo said in Filipino.

He said the false social media posts were apparently authored by netizens who were merely curious at the outcome of spreading disinformation.

“We are looking into nuisance cyber criminals who only wanted to tease people or to see the results (of their social media posts) out of curiosity,” Lorenzo said. “They have nothing better to do.”

Thousands flocked to vaccination sites in the cities of Manila, Las Piñas and Antipolo last Thursday after rumors spread that unvaccinated people would be left out of cash aid and barred from going outdoors during the lockdown. Quezon City had a similar experience.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno believed there was politics involved in the chaos in the city’s inoculation sites.

He said non-Manila residents without QR codes swarmed the vaccination facilities.

PNP has leads

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has leads on the people responsible for spreading false information that residents needed to get vaccinated before getting lockdown assistance.

According to PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, the Anti-Cybercrime Group is monitoring some social media accounts.

“Meron silang mga leads na puwedeng pagbasehan on the case buildup regarding this matter,” he said.

Eleazar did not identify the people handling the social media accounts so as not to jeopardize the probe.

He clarified that the police have not yet filed charges against the suspects as declared by presidential spokesman Harry Roque on Monday.

Eleazar said the PNP filed charges against five persons for spreading false information.

“But this was not related to overcrowding at vaccination sites,” he said. – Emmanuel Tupas