Senators urge caution on linking lawmakers to Marawi crisis

MANILA, Philippines — Senators have cautioned against implicating people in the Marawi crisis after Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II earned criticism for claiming that lawmakers associated with the opposition met in the city weeks before fighting erupted on May 23.

Sen. Grace Poe on Thursday likened Aguirre II to a “troll” for using “fake news” in dragging the names of some vocal critics of President Rodrigo Duterte or his policies into the siege that has prompted the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

On Wednesday, Aguirre told media that he was set to order a probe into Sen. Bam Aquino’s visit to Marawi City and the supposed connection of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano to the Islamist Maute Group.

He said that these lawmakers as well as President Benigno Aquino III's former political adviser Ronal Llamas met with prominent clans in Marawi City before the clashes.

Opposition senators blasted Aguirre for using what they branded as “Facebook intel.”

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Ramon Lopez had already cleared the name of Aquino of false accusations regarding his Marawi visit even before Aguirre’s “revelation.”

Aguirre later that day said that he was merely “unfortunately misquoted” by the media.

Poe, the chairperson of the Senate committee on public information and mass media, said that the Justice secretary made the proliferation of fake news even “worse” by using it like a “troll” without double checking its veracity.

She said that Aguirre’s objective to malign the government’s political opponents led him to resort to the use of canard.

“What makes it worse is when the Justice Secretary himself willingly exploits and amplifies such fake news like a troll without a modicum of effort to at least verify the same just to malign political opponents,” she said. “He was at it again when he recklessly linked several of our colleagues in Congress to the Maute group, only to backtrack and offer excuses.”

Sen. Aquino, at a weekly press briefing at the Senate, recounted his activities on May 2 — the day of the supposed meeting — and on April 24 and April 28, dates that Aguirre also mentioned. He was in Manila on April 24 and spoke at the ASEAN Prosperity For All Summit on April 28 before going to Tarlac City for the Adobo Festival in the afternoon, he said. 

"It's really very irresponsible for Secretary Aguirre to make those statements habang napakadali naman, napaka easy naman na malaman yung katotohanan. Siguro nga po, kung gusto mong hanapin yung katotohanan, madali lang. Kung ayaw mong hanapin, talagang hindi mo ito mahahanap," he added.

On Wednesday, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, a member of the Senate majority bloc, vouched for Aquino, whom he said he saw in Cagayan de Oro City on May 19.

"Nagkwentuhan kami and nakita ko kasama niya ang mga youth leaders from Marawi City. Wala naman akong nakitang any other people aside from the youth group. Ang alam ko kasi ang advocacy ni Senator Bam is all about youth. So, I doubt if Senator Bam is linked to this whole thing. I don't think it's possible, nagkasama lang kami that time," he said.

He added: "I think we should also be very careful with linking people with whatever instances dahil masisira yung reputation ng tao kung wala naman connection. Let's be fair, kung wala naman connection, mahirap i-link kung sinuman sa pangyayari." 

Poe: Probe fake news

Poe said that Congress should already investigate into the proliferation of false news in the Philippines and craft a law to punish its authors and hosts of websites.

“Congress should look into these pernicious acts and hopefully come up with legislation to address this phenomenon and penalize perpetrators, referring to both authors of fake news as well as sites wittingly hosting the same,” she said.

The senator said that as Justice secretary and public servant it was Aguirre’s job to side with the truth.

“I call on Secretary Aguirre to faithfully do his duty to serve public interest, and that requires siding with the truth,” she said.