The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday launched an investigation to track down individuals behind fake social media posts falsely claiming the postponement of the opening of classes on 8 June, warning that those responsible may face legal consequences.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. directed the Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) to identify the source of the misleading content in line with the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla for the responsible use of social media.
“The PNP condemns the spread of false information that causes confusion among students, parents and the public. We remind everyone to verify announcements through official government channels before sharing them online,” Nartatez said.
The Department of Education (DepEd) earlier flagged a fake social media post that falsely announced the suspension of the opening of classes on 8 June. DepEd clarified that no such declaration had been issued and urged the public to rely only on its official communication channels.
“We have directed the appropriate units, including the Anti-Cybercrime Group, to validate the incident and determine the source of the misleading post. Those found responsible may face appropriate legal consequences under existing laws,” Nartatez said.
Police regional offices and local police units have likewise been directed to monitor the spread of the misinformation in their respective areas.
Meanwhile, Nartatez urged the public to exercise caution when consuming and sharing information online, especially announcements that directly affect schools and communities.
“We urge parents, students and the public to rely only on official announcements from DepEd and other authorized government agencies. If they encounter suspicious posts, they should refrain from sharing them and report them to the proper authorities,” he said.
The PNP said combating online misinformation remains part of its broader efforts to protect the public from deceptive content that can disrupt daily activities and undermine trust in legitimate government advisories.