WARNING
A House leader said the arrest of a female vlogger from Oslob, Cebu, for allegedly spreading fake news is a stark reminder to irresponsible content creators that online deception carries serious consequences.
House Assistant Majority Leader Pammy Zamora lauded the swift action of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which recently apprehended 30-year-old Wendelyn Magalso for posting manipulated content about President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that falsely claimed illegal drugs had been legalized in the country.
“This case is a stark reminder that freedom of expression is not freedom to deceive,” Zamora said.
“May hangganan ang pagiging ‘content creator,’ lalo na kung ginagawa mo ito para manira, magpakalat ng kasinungalingan, at kumita mula sa panloloko. Kung pipiliin mong magkalat ng fake news, may kapalit iyan,” he added.
According to the NBI, Magalso altered a TV5 news post by inserting fabricated quotes attributed to President Marcos.
One manipulated caption falsely claimed: “Legal na daw ang druga grabe ka naman Marcos ngayon harapin mo lahat nang hamon kong makakabalik ka pa pagka looy sa mga inosente.”
She also reportedly edited the President’s video statement to mislead viewers.
The NBI Central Visayas Regional Office said it acted after receiving a complaint from TV5 and conducting its own cyber patrol.
Magalso admitted she made the post to earn money from views and later apologized to the President.
“Hindi ito simpleng opinyon. Ito ay tahasang panlilinlang. At kung ginagaya mo pa ang Pangulo o lehitimong media outlet para magmukhang totoo, malinaw na intensyon mong manloko,” she stressed.
Magalso is facing charges under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. If convicted, she could face six months to six years in prison and fines ranging from P40,000 to P200,000.
Zamora commended TV5 for promptly reporting the incident and the NBI for its decisive response.
She also underscored the urgency of boosting digital literacy and holding content creators to account.
“Kailangan nating turuan ang kabataan kung paano kilalanin ang totoo sa peke. At para sa mga sadyang gumagawa ng fake news, tandaan ninyo—mahahabol kayo ng batas,” Zamora warned.
