New PNP spokesman to fight fake news

PNP Chief, Director General Ronald M Dela Rosa has named Police Chief Superintendent John C Bulalacao as PNP Spokesperson and Chief of the PNP Public Information Office. (Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

Philippine National Police’s (PNP’s) new spokesperson Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao has revealed on Wednesday that battling fake news will be one of his priorities in his term.

“We should be able to help the public in distinguishing truth from propaganda, facts from fake news, objectivity and impartiality from sensationalism…’Yun ang gusto ko lang ipaabot sa inyo ngayong umaga (This is what I want to tell you this morning),” Bulalacao said in a speech after officially taking over the spokesman and PNP Public Information Office (PIO) Chief posts.”

He further said that with today’s access to technology, a lot “can easily take pictures and send it to almost everybody.”

“So kapag may mga ganitong (if there are such) situations, the chief PIO should be capable enough to address possible issues that may arise dito sa mga (in these kinds of) situations na ito,” he said.

Bulalacao’s appointment comes a day after the Senate brought to the floor the issue of fake news and online misinformation, as well as PNP’s return of Oplan Tokhang.

PNP Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa shared that appointing Bulalacao stemmed from his familiarity with him.

According to the top cop, a rich spokesperson would be unable to make a connection to the press for he/she will not know the ‘intricacies of the life in the streets.’

“Alam ko anak ng mahirap ito eh. Galing ito sa mahirap na pamilya, sanay sa hirap, sanay magtiis. So ‘yung patience niya sa different personalities ng media community, madali siyang mag-adapt,” Dela Rosa shared.

(Read: PNP appoints new spox)

Bulalacao was appointed to replace Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos, who has been the police’s spokesman since August 2016. Carlos is now the chief of the PNP Aviation Security Group in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) replacing Chief Superintendent Sheldon Jacaban who reached his mandatory retirement age of 56.

The new spokesperson used to be the Provincial Director of Cavite provincial police, the Assistant Chief of the Management Division of PNP’s Firearms and Explosives Office, Directorial Staff of the Metro Manila Police, Logistics Support Service, and Chief of Staff of the Civil Security Group.