JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra yesterday said the National Bureau of Investigation has started tracking individuals behind the audio clip warning of a lockdown amid the continued increase in COVID-19 cases in the country.
The audio clip claims President Duterte will impose a nationwide lockdown as COVID-19 cases continue to reach record heights.
“The NBI has started tracking these purveyors of false information and will arrest them if found,” Guevarra said.
He said those behind the audio clip could be charged with, among others, “unlawful use of publication and unlawful utterances” under the Revised Penal Code, in relation to the Cybercrime Law of 2012.
Guevarra appealed to the public to refrain from sharing the audio clip.
“I ask netizens to stop sharing these voice clips to prevent alarm, panic buying, and hoarding of essential goods,” he said.
On Monday, the country logged an all-time record 33,169 new COVID-19 cases, bringing to 157, 526 the number of active COVID cases nationwide.
