‘Nauubusan ng propaganda’: PNP chief blasts purveyors of false info

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Nicolas Torre III expressed dismay over what he described as a coordinated campaign by certain groups to spread false information.

In a press briefing on Monday, July 21, Torre said that these misinformation tactics are being used as propaganda and a means to divert public attention, particularly as major controversies linked to the previous administration fade from the headlines.

Torre revealed that the perpetrators are the ones aligned with the supporters of the administration of detained former President Rodrigo Duterte. 

“Talagang ebidensya na talagang nauubusan na ng propaganda itong mga kontra sa gobyerno natin…diretsohin na natin, yung mga DDS (Duterte Diehard Supporters),” Torre said.

(It's really evident that those against our government are truly running out of propaganda... let's be direct, the DDS (Duterte Diehard Supporters).

“Nauubusan na siguro na talaga sila ng bala ng malalaking kontrobersya ng mga insidente,” he added. 

(They're probably truly running out of 'ammunition' in terms of major controversial incidents.)

This was Torre’s response when asked about a 2022 video showing the body of a Chinese national found in Kawit, Cavite, which resurfaced.

“Literal na hinukay sa baul para palabasin na para bang bago kasi wala na silang nakitang masama ngayon na kasing sama noong panahon nila,” he said. 

Torre also addressed China's recent Ministry of Education advisory, which cautioned its students about security risks in the Philippines, asserting that the warning is baseless and noting that recent criminal cases in the country have, in fact, involved Chinese nationals.

“So nakikita natin we respect the opinion of the Chinese official pero isang maliwanag dito nakikita natin sa bansa natin nag-away-away rito, Chinese ang biktima, Chinese ang perpetrator,” he said. 

(So we see, we respect the opinion of the Chinese official, but one thing is clear here: we see in our country that among those quarreling here, the victim is Chinese, and the perpetrator is Chinese.)

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