Philippines
Archbishop Charles Brown warns Catholics not to fall for fake news as polls loom
The apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Charles Brown. (Photo supplied)
The apostolic nuncio to the Philippines has urged Catholics to be bearers of truth amid a culture of disinformation and fake news.
Archbishop Charles Brown echoed a pastoral statement made by the bishops’ conference on Feb. 25 criticizing falsehoods being circulated ahead of upcoming polls on May 9.
“We need to speak the truth and shun all forms of falsehood. This is our duty as Christians, as believers of Christ, who himself is the truth,” Pope Francis’ envoy said in an Easter homily on April 17.
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Philippine bishops issued a similar call in a pastoral letter on the anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution to combat fake news and lies looming in social media about former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, father of presidential frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
They were responding to purported attempts by Marcos Jr. to paint the years of martial law under his father as a “golden age” in Filipino history.
“We are alarmed by this distortion of the truth of history and the attempt to delete or destroy our collective memory through the seeding of lies and false narratives. This is dangerous, for it poisons our collective consciousness and destroys the moral foundations of our institutions,” said the prelates in their pastoral letter.
“We need to beware of fake news, falsehoods, distortions and manipulation. There’s charity and prudence in not saying everything that is true … but everything that is said should be true”
In what was being seen by some observers as showing support for the comments made in the pastoral letter, Archbishop Brown said every Catholic must be aware of every distortion and manipulation of the truth.
“We need to beware of fake news, falsehoods, distortions and manipulation,” said Archbishop Brown, whose comments came just days after a fake sex video of Aika Robredo, the eldest of presidential candidate Leonor “Leni” Robredo, was circulated online to discredit her.
“There’s charity and prudence in not saying everything that is true … but everything that is said should be true,” he added.
The papal nuncio said every person who claims to love Christ should be the bearer of truth, for Christ himself is the truth.
“We need to love the truth. We need to speak the truth just as we need to profess Christ in our lips,” he added.
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