ONLINE PROPONENTS OF TERRORISM TRACKED

DICT secretary says arrest warrants being prepared against terror propagandists

Information and Communications Technology Secretary Rodolfo Salalima yesterday said they have been able to track down individuals suspected of spreading propaganda promoting terror acts on social media.

He said arrest warrants were being prepared against these individuals, who have allegedly committed cyber sedition by sharing activities of terror groups in the country.

“There are persons who will be arrested for cyber sedition. We are not going to name the persons. We are able to track more than one last night,” Salalima said.

“Remember: rebellion, sedition are crimes under the old Penal Code. You do sedition, you incite people via cyber or via internet. I call it - there is cyber rebellion. In rebellion, there must be a taking up of arms, so if it’s done online, it could amount to cyber sedition,” Salalima added.

Earlier, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) called on Facebook to take down 63 accounts allegedly being used by the Maute terror group and their sympathizers to spread propaganda on social media.

AFP spokesperson Restituto Padilla Jr. asked social media users not to share “false news.”

AP FOTO GRIEF. Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Salamat, commandant of the Marine Corps, condoles with the grieving family of the 13 marines killed in battle with Muslim militants in Marawi City. As of June 13, 58 soldiers have been killed in Marawi.