“Yes, she is being investigated by our Cybercrime Division for fake news,” said NBI spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin. “We included her in the investigation [on] posting of PPEs.”
Uson posted photos on her Facebook page last month showing a new set of personal protective equipment supposedly purchased by the government. But netizens pointed out that one of the photos she used was from SM Foundation.
The image was replaced minutes later.
The Bayanihan We Heal As One Act, which grants President Rodrigo Duterte additional powers, also provides that anyone who spread false information about the crisis will face a two-month jail sentence or a fine of ₱10,000 to ₱1 million.
This is not the first time that Uson, a blogger and a vocal supporter of the Duterte administration, was called out for a misleading social media post.
In 2017, she was criticized for resharing on her blog page a post with a caption asking prayers for Filipino soldiers. However, it turned out that the soldiers in the photo were not Filipinos, but she defended herself saying that it was a “symbolism.”
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13) – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) summoned Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Deputy Administrator Mocha Uson for sharing a misleading information on social media.
FACT CHECK: OWWA Deputy Administrator Mocha Uson posted photos showing a new set of PPEs supposedly purchased by the gov't and distributed to health workers. But netizens point out that the photo she used at the bottom is from SM Foundation.
The image was replaced 5 minutes ago. pic.twitter.com/NTyX6emz1f
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) April 3, 2020
