Cyber libel charges filed vs pseudo newsman

A Facebook post under the account name “Ppn Newspaper,” circulated on August 12, 2025, alleged the existence of an illegal gambling operation or peryahan in Tigaon, Camarines Sur, and implicated Police Major Inar Vic Florece, chief of Tigaon Municipal Police Station.

The post also claimed that Florece had tagged the CSPPO Provincial Director and the PRO5 Regional Director as protectors. The matter is now under investigation for online libel, in violation of the Anti-Cybercrime Law, by the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (RACU) in Legazpi City.

“This is fake news!” the Tigaon MPS Chief of Police declared in a public statement posted on their station’s official Facebook page. He disowned accusation about issuing any statement linking CSPPO Provincial Director PCOL Virgilio O. Olalia Jr. or PRO5 Regional Director PBGEN Nestor C. Babagay Jr. to any form of illegal gambling in Tigaon, Camarines Sur.

He added that the false information was deliberately made to malign the untarnished reputation of the Police Regional Office V and the Camarines Sur Police Provincial Office, including its leadership.

Members of the Press Corps and media personalities also clarified that the so-called “Ppn Newspaper” Facebook page does not exist as a legitimate publication, and its alleged writer is unknown in their media community.

Posts of this nature constitute violations of the Cybercrime Prevention Act, and offenders can be arrested and charged in court. The incident is currently being investigated by the RACU for cyber libel and other related offenses, with the goal of bringing the perpetrator(s) to justice.