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Saturday, August 22, 2020

DILG urges public, LGUs to combat black propaganda

THE DEPARTMENT of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has called the public to combat not only the spread of Covid-19, but also the purveyors of malicious information who malign and discredit the actions taken by the government amid the pandemic.

“We are now at the crucial stage in our fight against Covid-19. In retrospect, the DILG has been persistent in finding ways to lessen the severity of Covid-19’s effect in our local communities – enhancing and capacitating our local government units to the greatest possible extent and challenging them to do better,” said DILG Regional Director Paisal Abutazil.

“We are at the forefront of this fight, not only at risk of the disease but also vulnerable to the public’s opinion. In light of the recent events, we call upon on our local government units and the public to take more proactive measures to combat not only on the repercussions of the Covid-19, but also to the purveyors of malicious information – with the sole purpose of maligning and discrediting the actions taken by the government,” he added.

Zambo Mayor

Just recently, supporters of Zamboanga Mayor Beng Climaco branded as “heartless” the trolls and black propagandists, and political foes who continue to malign and defame the local government’s chief executive amid the coronavirus crisis.

Even City Hall employees strongly condemned the political and even personal attacks of Climaco. “Bien bueno ya lang gane si Mam Beng. Dol carabao ya gane se ta trabaja desde antes pa hasta ahora, pero el maga ataque con Mam Beng bien terrible, detestable gayod. Lejos pa el ellecion ta destrui ya sila con el persona de Mam Beng,” said one female employee, who asked not to be named for fear of being accused of political partisan.

One of Climaco’s old time supporters, Benito San Jose, said trolls and propagandists are believed being used by the mayor’s political foes and taking advantage of the health crisis that has put extreme pressure to the local government in fighting the pandemic  and taking care of the welfare of the people.

“Beng has her hands full. She is busy running this government and at the same time fighting this health (crisis), the coronavirus (pandemic) while taking care of Zamboangueños and making sure the disease stops spreading,” San Jose said.

“But sad to say, anti-Climaco forces are heartless and they are bent on destroying the mayor because at stake here are the 2022 elections. They are not only heartless, but ruthless. They are political terrorists – these black propagandists and paid trolls are on the offensive now,” he added.

Another follower of Climaco, who claimed to have campaigned hard for her the past decade, blamed the mayor for her “forgiving and compassionate” character.

“Beng, being a very religious woman and devoted Christian, is very forgiving.
Her compassion for other people and her persona are something that others (politicians) do not have, and that is also why she is being abused. Her kindness is being abused and disrespected by her antagonists for their personal gain and political interest,” he said.

Last June, Netizens called on Climaco to sue those defaming and maligning her administration and to file libel charges against trolls and black propagandists besmirching her persona.

In posts left on Climaco’s Facebook account, dozens of Netizens defended the hardworking mayor against all criticisms and fake news and false information spread by her foes. Even on Climaco’s Facebook page, trolls and black propagandists leave insulting comments.

This after Climaco branded as “very malicious and very dangerous” the false information and fake news being peddled by her foes and political trolls in the middle of the government’s effort to contain the spread of the pandemic.

Climaco previously blasted propagandists, who are spreading fake news on social media, particularly on Facebook, and especially on the issue of the rising number of Covid-19 infections and the late releasing of test results by health authorities.

“Actualmente este insinuations are very malicious and very dangerous, as Local Chief Executive you do not know what it feels every time I receive a (report of Covid) positive case. No one would want to endanger Zamboanga City, aquellos que tiene malicioso pensamiento que ta pensa que ta queda kita alegre na maga caso positivo is very dangerous. Poreso gane este maga tiempo mas bueno pa si concentra ya lang kita na de atun trabaho imbes de hace calayat maga false information.”

“We are really praying that every Zamboangueño be healed because if every Zamboangueño is healed then Zamboanga City will be able to recover. Stop insinuating and stop accusing (and) let us work together for the benefit of Zamboanga City,” Climaco said.

Probe

Even DILG Secretary Eduardo Año was not spared by propagandists after a malicious “meme” on social media claimed that he wants couple living together to practice social distancing after having sex.

Año vowed to go after individuals and groups who continue to spread the meme on social media and has ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to conduct the probe and file the necessary charges and to teach those behind the fake news a lesson.

He also condemns the use of social media as a platform to proliferate malicious and false information.

“There is no truth to the recent statement in circulating on social media about practicing distancing after sex,” Año stressed. “We at the DILG are not inclined to make such false and malevolent claim or neither will we tolerate them,” he added, noting that those behind the false social media post “impugn the institution’s credibility and undermine the progress we have thus far accomplished in the fight for Filipino survival (amid the pandemic).”

Año said the DILG will investigate the matter at hand and will go after the propagators of fake news with renewed intensity.

The controversial meme showed a photo of Año with a caption: “After mag-sex, dapat may distancing din.”

Año said the original photo showed him calling for social distancing inside residences because there is no assurance that those living together in one house are all negative from the highly-infectious coronavirus.

“In these troubling times, we at the DILG believe that the right step to healing and recovery is not through divisive and disparaging means. Rather, we must all put our best foot forward and unite as a nation to establish mutual trust between government and the citizenry,” he said. (Zamboanga Post)


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