Senatorial candidate and Makati Mayor Abby Binay yesterday said the government needs to improve the capability of law enforcers to identify persons behind fake news and online scams.

Speaking at the press conference of Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas in Trece Martires, Cavite, Binay highlighted the frustrations surrounding the difficulty of catching fake news peddlers and online fraudsters.

“I think more than just legislation, what is important is catching those spreading fake news, fake information,” she said.

Binay emphasized that beyond legislation, there must be stronger enforcement to ensure accountability and deterrence.

“That’s why those spreading fake news are undaunted, they believe they won’t get caught or it would be a long time before that would happen,” Binay said in Filipino.

She attributed their boldness to the fact that the authorities have failed to apprehend online money scammers victimizing netizens.

Binay urged the government to equip law enforcers with the necessary tools and training to track down those spreading false information.

Meanwhile, senatorial candidate Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan lauded the House of Representatives for its ongoing hearing on the relentless spread of fake news and online harassment, stressing the importance of accountability for social media platforms that allow disinformation to flourish.

“I fully support the House’s efforts to tackle the growing problem of fake news,” said Pangilinan. “For years, I have faced malicious videos that distort the truth and damage my reputation. Until now, an orchestrated set of social media posts and comments attack me and my family, and the persistence of these lies online is incredibly frustrating,” he said.

In June 2022, the Senate approved Pangilinan’s report calling for stronger measures against disinformation.