The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) denounces Facebook and its biased fact-checkers for their imprudence and audacity to issue a warning to no less than the country’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. for his FB post on April 14, 2022 urging all Filipinos to unite to end the Communist insurgency.

The imprudence of FB to warn Secretary Esperon on a national security issue is unthinkable and downright offensive as the social media platform has taken on the role of Big Brother with the power to censure the social media posts of the NSA himself on matters of national security.

This move of FB is alarming, if not dangerous, as it has appointed itself as an omnipotent force that can censure at their discretion -- based on standards that they themselves created -- the legitimate posts of highly respected officials of the country.

We also find it questionable how FB and its fact checkers seem to be overly focused in calling out and restricting the accounts of government officials while turning a blind eye to others.

We, therefore, urge FB to revisit and modify its so-called standards that are obviously one-sided and serve to promote the interests of the few and powerful. They can start by consulting their users whose patronage of their platform has made their business thrive.

Finally, we call on FB to stick to its goal of helping people connect and engage, and to leave national security matters to the experts. Undersecretary Jonathan E. Malaya

DILG and NTF ELCAC spokesperson