ILOILO City – The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) has opened hotline numbers through which the public could alert it about people spreading “fake news” on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The telephone numbers are the following:
* 09995587914
* 09999955072
* 09985986101
* 09989967112
People should not spread fake news and make people panic, said Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, PRO-6 information officer.
The four hotline numbers are open 24-7.
“We will run after those spreading fake news on COVID-19,” said Malong.
The PRO-6 launched the hotline numbers following the arrest of a resident of Barangay Pandac, Pavia, Iloilo who was subsequently charged with violating Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code (unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances).
Adelbert Pedregosa, 51, was arrested on Saturday. He reportedly posted on his Facebook page, “Please help me spread the news dri sa Deca Homes brgy Pandac, Pavia 30 persons listed/classified persons under monitoring all had travel history abroad, Manila and other parts of the country yet they refused to put themselves under home quarantine hambal sang brgy captain Pandac Pavia kaina sang nag estoryahanay kami kaina ni brgy captain perti ka salawayon sang mga ini wla sila naga tinir sa ila balay naga lagaw sila ya.”
The post further read: “I’m afraid if ang 1/4 sang 30 PUMs have COVID-19 after being tested malapta gid ang COVID-19 dri sa amon brgy sa Pavia kag sa bilog nga province of Iloilo. Please share this post kay Dr. Trabado and to Gov. Toto Defensor kay tindogan ko ini ya ang gin post the next Italy is Deca Homes brgy Pandac, Pagka province of Iloilo.”
The Pavia police released Pedregosa yesterday after paying a bail bond of P6,000./PN
