Social Media Being Used As Militant Propaganda To Confuse Public On Real Situation In Marawi City

Social media are possibly being used by the Maute Group and their sympathizers as a propaganda tool to confuse the public about the real situation in Marawi City.

Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos, Spokesman of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said they have monitored disinformation that is being propagated in Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms.

Among them, he said, are reports of beheadings of some members of the Maute Group as well as structures that were occupied by the armed men.

“There seems to be an effort in the social media to make it appear that this is a vey big incident,” Carlos told reporters in a press briefing at Camp Crame.

For instance, he said there have been photos being circulated in the social media at the height of the gun battle on Tuesday that Maute Group fighters had already taken control of the entire Marawi City.

Among them are vehicles, including a police car that had been roaming around Marawi City displaying the flag of the international terror group ISIS, as well as group of armed men freely walking the streets of the City.

“How can you control of the entire City when posted photographs only showed two, three or four people?” said Carlos.

Other reports being circulated in the social media, according to Carlos, are cases of beheading, the armed men laying siege on some establishments and even the number of Maute Group present in Marawi.

Source: Manila Bulletin