Roque: Poe bill vs fake news “presumed unconstitutional”

Written by Kaye Fe on

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(Eagle News)– Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Saturday said Senator Grace Poe’s bill against “fake news”  was “presumed unconstitutional.”

In a brief statement, Roque added Senate Bill 1680 that bars government employees and officials from peddling the same was  “…infirm..”

He said this was because it was “violative of (the) equal protection clause as (there is) no basis for singling out (government) employees.”

The bill filed by Poe, chair of the Senate committee on public information and mass media, on Friday, seeks to amend Sections 4(b) and 7 of Republic Act No. 6713 otherwise known as the “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards from Public Officials and Employees.”

The committee has been holding a series of hearings following backlash received by some government officials such as Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson for their alleged dissemination of fake news.