MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) refuted reports spreading on social media and messaging apps that people are already looting amid the Luzon-wide lockdown which is in place to contain the novel coronavirus.

In a press briefing on Friday, March 20, PNP chief General Archie Gamboa said stories about the poor getting desperate and resorting to crime are “fake news.”

To combat disinformation amid the pandemic, Gamboa has directed the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the PNP Cybercrime Division to track down those who have posted the supposedly misleading stories.

“Maghintay kayo at pupuntahan kayo ng pulis at aarestuhin kayo (Just wait and the police will track you down and arrest you),” Gamboa said.

Stories on alleged looting and the poor “plotting” to rob grocery stores have gone viral online, yet accounts are, so far, said to be secondhand information or speculation. – Rappler.com