The Philippine National Police has downplayed cases of abduction being reported on social media, which also include harvest of organs, as fake news.
PNP Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac cited the kidnapping case in Bulacan as one of those false reports.
“We also admonish authors of ‘fake news’ circulating in social media platforms of a series of purported abductions by suspects on board a white van,” Banac said in a statement.
The story of the 10 year-old kid being abducted for his organs was also fake.
“In the case of the 10-year old alias Melvin of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, his father Rodolfo has appeared before the City Police Station to debunk allegations that his son was abducted. He said the boy had ran away from home on three separate occasions in the past and the scars on his belly were from a medical procedure back in 2016,” Banac added.
Kidnapping incidents have been a viral topic on social media following the abduction case of a Chinese woman who was abducted in Makati City and cases of missing kids in Pasay.
The PNP also dismissed the cases of missing kids with most reportedly related to illegal drugs.
The National Capital Region Police Office said there was no resistance on the “missing youths.”
Banac said those found liable sharing fake videos could be charged with violation of Presidential Decree No. 90, the “Declaring Unlawful Rumor-Mongering and Spreading False Information,” and Republic Act No. 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
“Based on the result of Cyber Patrolling and Open Source Investigation of PNP-ACG, it was found that no recent abduction transpired using a white van nor reported series of abductions lodged in Police Stations and news networks,” Banac explained.
The PNP added that these abductions have been circulating since 2016.
