THE Central Visayas police regional office has urged the media and the public to exercise diligence when posting information about crimes to avoid the unnecessary waste of police resources in verifying such reports.
It issued the appeal after a radio station posted last July 22 a story and video about a supposed robbery incident in Mandaue City online, which the police said triggered “public fear and confusion.”
In a statement on Saturday night, the Central Visayas police said the Mandaue City police station verified the report and “confirmed that no such robbery occurred within its jurisdiction” last month.
Investigation showed the video was from a fistfight inside a bus in Liloan town in Cebu last May 8.
“As clarified by the Liloan municipal police station, the incident was not a robbery but rather a verbal altercation that escalated into a fistfight among passengers,” the Central Visayas police said.
“It (fistfight) was never reported to the police, and confusion only arose when the video began circulating online,” it added.
It said it has coordinated with the radio station, which claimed the video was forwarded by a “concerned citizen.” It admitted posting the story without proper verification.
“The outlet has since acknowledged the error, corrected the post, and issued a clarification,” the Central Visayas police said.
Under Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, the Central Visayas police said people may be held criminally liable if they spread false information that causes public disturbance, alarm, or damages another person’s reputation.
“We urge both the public and media outlets to practice due diligence and always verify information with proper authorities before posting or sharing online,” it said.
“Irresponsible sharing of unverified content wastes police resources, disrupts peace, and erodes public trust,” it added.
The Central Visayas police said it is committed to “truthful reporting, public safety, and accountability.”
“Let us all be responsible digital citizens, verify before you share,” it said.
