MANILA (UPDATED) — The Presidential Communications Office said Monday it was studying the possible establishment of a government body that would regulate social media and combat the proliferation of misinformation or "fake news."

"Pinag-aaralan po natin 'yan na sana magkaroon kahit papaano, lalo na doon sa mabibigat na issue na hindi katotohanan," PCO Secretary Jay Ruiz told Palace reporters. 

Ruiz, a former veteran broadcaster, said that addressing "fake news" especially on social media would be among the priorities of the new PCO leadership.

“Actually, that's one of the reasons why naengganyo ko na labanan ang fake news kasi alam mo, sobra na. Tsaka walang nagre-regulate. Movie, television, regulatory commission: MTRCB di ba? Sa movies may nagre-regulate, radio may nagre-regulate, TV may nagre-regulate. Eh bakit natin pinapabayaan na puro fake news ang lumalabas sa online? Tama ba 'yun?” he said.

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Ruiz said they were also looking at the possible filing of legal action against "fake news" spreaders especially for false information related to national security.

"'Pag sumobra. Lalo na 'yung threat na to national security. Lalo na 'yun 'di ba? Magsasabi ka, kagaya ngayon walang pasok, may pasok naman pala. Magsasabi ka may bomba sa ganito, bobombahin, siyempre. Paano mo hindi namang fafile-an 'yung mga 'yan? 'Yung mga nananakot, nagpapakalat ng kasinungalingan," he said.

"Pag-aaralan ko pa but, of course, we also have our legal time that will take of that if, in case, sumobra. Hindi ko naman sinasabi 'yung... But ang punto lang dito kailangan kung blogger ka man, social media influencer ka man, tanggap mo rin dapat na may responsibilidad — a greater responsibility to the public. 'Di ba? Sobra, eh."

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Meanwhile, Malacanang believes the establishment of a separate government regulatory body on social media is very timely, amid the ongoing problem of the continued proliferation of fake news.

"Actually po dapat makipag-ugnayan din po tayo, makipagtulungan po tayo sa mga mambabatas natin, sa Kongreso, kasi sila din naman po ang gagawa ng batas dito," Palace Press Officer Usec Claire Castro said in a Palace briefing.

"Yung pong sinasabi natin na magkaroon ng regulatory body, sa palagay po namin, ay napapanahon dahil tayo po sa mainstream media, tayo po ay sakop at nare-regulate po ng MTRCB. kung tayo po ay myembro ng KBP, meron pa rin po tayong KBP. So sa tingin po natin, sa ating palagay, ang pagkakaroon ng separate na regulatory body for the social media ay napapanahon din po para po maiwasan yung mga pang-aabuso," she added.

Castro however said that the move is not meant to curtail legitimate forms of expression, but rather to prevent abuses.

"Hindi po natin pipigilan yung mga opinion na naaayon naman po sa batas. Kumbaga opinion na lehitimo. Kung ito po ay kritisismo 'yan po ay dapat lang na irespeto," she said.

"Pero iba po yung sinasabi natin na paninira nang walang basehan at kung ginagamit man po itong troll army sa paninira, ibang usapin po yun. Dahil kung meron man pong troll army at ang adbokasiya nila ay ang maglabas at mag-share ng tamang balita hindi po yun pipigilan. Ang pipigilan lang po natin ay mga abuso dahil po kapag naabuso ito, meron po itong effect sa taong maaaring siraan, mga organisasyon, mga ahensya na maaaring siraan nang walang basehan," she added.

On Sunday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr took to social media to caution the public about the spread of fake news and disinformation especially during the campaign season.