REPOST: FAKE NEWS by José Alejandrino

"Always remember the enemy will try to sow intrigues, confusion, and division."

I'm sure we Dutertistas all strive to have a responsible society. We condemn mainstream media for being irresponsible in turning out disinformation and distorting what President Duterte says. The best way to begin is for us Dutertistas to set an example and not fall to the same level as our enemies.

I realize there are Trojan horses in our midst who pretend to support the president and fabricate fake news in our name hoping we would fall for them and spread them. When they turn out to be fake, by falling for them we are doing ourselves a disservice. The Opposition then has an excuse to accuse us of fabricating fake news while we condemn the same.

A good example was the news about Robredo's daughter being arrested in Massachusetts in the company of a known drug supplier. When I read it, I decided to check out its veracity. It turned out to be fake so I didn't share it. But on one or two previous occasions I have to admit I fell for fake news.

Here are some suggestions on how we Dutertistas should deal with the problem. If you have other suggestions to add, I'm sure they will be most welcome.

1. Let us purge our ranks of Trojan horses. They can be spotted by the way they comment. At some point they reveal their true sentiments especially when provoked. Once they reveal themselves, delete them as your friends. We don't need infiltrators on our timeline and sharing our postings. Once deleted, they won't have an audience among us except their own.

2. Check carefully the info you receive before sharing and spreading. If in doubt, don't share. This way, you contain the virus from spreading.

3. You can criticize or make fun about our enemies but base them on what they say or on their actuations. Don't distort what they say but interpret them if they are stupid and senseless. In my experience, the effective way to hit them is by making jokes about them.

5. Point out the flaws in their logic and arguments. Point out the flaws in the data they use to substantiate their argument.

6. Point out the inconsistencies in their position by recalling their past statements to show their hypocrisy.

7. When they distort the president, show where the distortions are.

8. Let us help each other when we come under attack. Here I'm grateful to my friends on fb for drawing my attention to fake news being spread about me and fake postings attributed to me.

Always remember the enemy will try to sow intrigues, confusion, and division in our ranks. We must guard against them.

The Opposition is entitled to its opinion. But it must play by the rules. There is a red line we must not allow them to cross. When they do, we use the sledgehammer.

If the Opposition behaves in a gracious manner, if it acts in a civilized manner, let us reciprocate. But if they play rough and dirty, then we show our teeth and claws.

Don't forget we are the majority. The Opposition is the minority. They cannot terrorize us. If they do, we'll show them who is the bigger terror.

Source: FB (June 2017)