THE House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on third and final reading a priority measure aimed at combating organized disinformation, troll farm operations and other malicious falsehoods online while safeguarding freedom of expression.
In a vote of 286-3 with seven abstentions, the chamber, led by Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III, approved House Bill No. 9465, or the proposed Digital Media Anti-False Information Act.
The measure, a Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) priority, was sponsored by House Committee on Public Information Chair Lordan Suan of Cagayan de Oro City.
Speaker Dy said the bill responds to the growing threat posed by deliberate disinformation campaigns that undermine public trust, distort public discourse and threaten democratic institutions.
“Disinformation has evolved into a powerful weapon capable of misleading communities, destroying reputations, disrupting democratic processes and threatening national security. Government cannot simply stand by while malicious actors exploit digital platforms to spread deliberate falsehoods and cause real harm,” Dy said.
The bill imposes penalties of six to 12 years imprisonment and fines ranging from P500,000 to P2 million on persons found guilty of knowingly and willfully spreading false information with intent to cause verifiable public harm or threaten national security.
It targets coordinated troll farms, bot networks, fake account syndicates and foreign-backed influence operations designed to manipulate public discourse and deceive the public.
The measure also covers artificial intelligence-generated or manipulated images, videos and audio released without proper disclosure and intended to mislead the public.
Dy stressed that the proposal was carefully crafted to protect constitutional freedoms.
“It does not punish criticism, dissent, political opposition, journalism or honest mistakes. What it targets are deliberate and coordinated efforts to deceive the public and inflict harm,” explained the Speaker from Isabela.
The bill sets a high threshold for criminal liability and expressly protects political opinions, criticism of government and public officials, satire, journalism, whistleblowing, academic discourse, artistic expression and religious expression.
It also makes clear that merely liking, sharing, forwarding or reposting content is not punishable unless prosecutors prove beyond reasonable doubt that a person knowingly and materially participated in prohibited disinformation activities.
The measure further requires digital platforms operating in the Philippines to establish a legal presence in the country and comply with transparency, disclosure and user protection standards.
It also strengthens media and digital literacy education through the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education while directing government agencies to improve public access to information and promptly correct inaccurate public statements.
“Truth remains the foundation of informed decision-making, accountable governance and a healthy democracy. This measure seeks to ensure that technology is not abused to undermine those foundations.”
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