A proposed law seeks to penalize the spread of fake news that threatens national security and public order amid the growing weaponization of digital platforms.
Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez filed House Bill No. 11506 aiming to criminalize the malicious dissemination of false information across all media platforms, including social media, particularly when such acts incite violence, promote hate speech, or trigger public panic.
Under the proposed measure, violators, including operators of troll farms and bot networks, may face imprisonment of six to 12 years and fines ranging from P500,000 to P2 million.
HB 11506 prohibits several acts, including publishing or disseminating false information with malicious intent; spreading disinformation that incites violence or panic, promotes hate speech, or discredits democratic institutions; operating coordinated inauthentic behavior such as troll farms and bot networks; and using social media platforms for hate-driven or violent content.
The bill’s proponent underscored that while the Constitution protects freedom of speech, press, and expression under Article III, Section 4, these rights are not absolute.
Rodriguez, citing a Supreme Court ruling, stressed that certain categories of speech such as obscenity, defamation, incitement to violence, and content that poses a clear and present danger are not covered by constitutional protection.
“To withstand constitutional scrutiny, the bill precisely defines fake news and requires proof of both malicious intent and actual or probable public harm,” Rodriguez said.
The lawmaker pointed out that current laws, including the Revised Penal Code and the Cybercrime Prevention Act, fall short in addressing the evolving impact of malicious content in the digital age.
“These falsehoods, often disseminated at scale through social media or synthetic content like deepfakes, have the power to incite confusion, manipulate public perception, and provoke civil disorder,” he warned.
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