The Manila Trial Court convicts Rappler CEO and executive editor Maria Ressa and former researcher-writer Rey Santos Jr of cyber libel.
The Netizens are joining the calls of netizens for Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) deputy administrator Margaux “Mocha” Uson to be arrested for violating the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.”
The Netizens are making a point against a provision in the newly enacted law criminalizing the act of sowing disinformation in the time of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis, by prodding the government to make an example of Uson’s recent online gaffe, perceived as many netizens as another act of peddling fake news in her widely popular blog.
It comes after Uson’s Facebook page Mocha Uson Blog posted news of the Department of Health’s (DOH) newly-purchased personal protective equipment (PPE), which was accompanied by a photo of frontliners wearing PPEs donated by a supermarket chain, not the government.
After getting called out, Uson’s Facebook page then edited its post to feature a different photo and apologized. She also thanked the netizen for calling her attention.
Signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on March 24, section 6 (f) of the said law states: “Individuals or groups creating, perpetrating, or spreading false information regarding the COVID-19 crisis on social media and other platforms, such information having no valid of beneficial effect on the population, and are clearly geared to promote chaos, panic, anarchy, fear, or confusion; and those participating in cyber incidents that make us or take advantage of the current crisis situation to prey on the public through scams, phishing, fraudulent emails, or other similar acts.”
A list of Mocha Uson’s fake news posts
Below are some comments by netizens:
10 MUST-FOLLOW
— Frank Baraan IV (@MrFrankBaraan) June 15, 2020
INTERNET NEWS SITES:
1. @rapplerdotcom
2. @ABSCBN
3. @gmanews
4. @cnnphilippines
5. @inquirerdotnet
6. @PhilippineStar
7. @thephilbiznews
8. @squeezeph
9. @conan_daily
10. @manilabulletin
WHY? B/c they have what Mocha Uson Blog doesn't have: EDITORIAL OVERSIGHT.
Jail Mocha Uson.
— Kirin's Art (@ArtOfKirin) June 15, 2020
So hey foreign friends! The g/ov/t of the Philippines is filing libel cases against journalists but not against that one person who is a major source of fake news. She's receiving a ton of our tax as salary that she does not deserve. Her name is Mocha Uson.
Then we have people like Mocha Uson who consistenly spews hate and spreads disinformation to millions of Filipinos, and she’s out there still being paid using the Filipino taxpayers’ hard-earned money?
— EBOY 🅔 (@eboymnl) June 15, 2020
Nasaan ang hustisya sa ganyan?
The whole world's watching you, Duterte Administration. We have intl support. While clowns like Mocha Uson are getting away with the bullshit they do, Maria Ressa is being convicted for spreading the truth. Mga duwag na puta kayo. #IStandWithMariaRessa #DefendPressFreedom pic.twitter.com/pN3s7566Sy
— 🌻 || #JUNKTERRORBILL (@ohmyqveen) June 15, 2020
Libel? Mocha Uson/DDS Bloggers/Trolls attacking VP Leni? Bakit wala silang kaso? Lol. The justice system is fucked up.pic.twitter.com/UkjneyTMor
— Z #DefendPressFreedom (@dohdohkyungsoo) June 15, 2020
bye, gh0rl#DefendPressFreedom#IStandWithMariaRessahttps://t.co/yj4XIqawOY
— Gab Pangilinan (@gabpangilinan) June 15, 2020
the law was applied retroactively against maria ressa. pero shet ilang fake news ba pinost ni mocha uson??? can someone file a case against her
— kim #OustDuterteNOW (@czaccei) June 15, 2020
What we meant when we asked for accountability:
— Billie Blanco (@_billieblanco) June 15, 2020
❎ Imelda Marcos
❎ Bong Revilla
❎ Koko Pimentel
❎ Mocha Uson
❎ Debold Sinas
Not:
✅Leila De Lima (basicially been incommunicado)
✅ Maria Ressa (who was persecuted & today, convicted for an act that was legal when committed)
mocha uson's father was shot SIX times by a riding in tandem. she must've known how much it hurts to lost a family member without handing you some justice. pero suportado siya ng extra judicial killings, at suportado ang pasistang gubyerno. grabe yung utak lipad na lipad ah
— ً (@karyllecm) June 15, 2020