SENATE President Francis Escudero and Senator Aquilino Pimentel III favor the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) initiative to review and amend cyber laws amid growing concerns over misinformation and fake news.
“No law is perfect, complete, and timeless. I shall eagerly await the proposal of the DOJ to amend existing laws to help combat fake news and will let it go through the ‘legislative grind,’” Escudero said in a text message to reporters.
Pimentel also acknowledged the public concerns over the spread of disinformation, particularly with artificial intelligence (AI)-driven content.
Pimentel backs proposals to impose sanctions on fake news even as he underscored the need to balance measures with freedom of speech and access to information.
“I am open to the proposal but, of course, we’ll have to weigh the proposed penal measure with the rights to free speech and to information,” he said.
“We can invent or come up with a new crime when fake news is spread since I know that a lot of people are worried about this relatively new phenomenon, especially those using AI,” he added.
Earlier on, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla announced that the DOJ is assessing current laws on cybercrimes and other legislations to determine if amendments were necessary to curb the spread of false information.
Remulla said misinformation is a “disservice to the country” and that legal action will be taken against individuals who deliberately engage in fake news.
