Cocamas in his privilege speech during the session on November 22 allegedly tag the MIO indirectly the one who perpetrated the malicious and fake social media accounts.
Santo Tomas Information Officer Mart Sambalud in a statement said Cocamas accused his office of orchestrating “coordinated and inauthentic behavior” reeks of double standard.
"Of course, we condemn in the strongest terms the proliferation of fake social media accounts meant to attack, malign, and discredit the Santo Tomas LGU officials," he said
Sambalud said, the administration Mayor Ernesto Evangelista has no standing policy employing Facebook trolls who act as purveyors of fake news and are responsible for staging inauthentic behavior in social media.
He said Evangelista along with Municipal Administrator lawyer Elisa Evangelista, and other municipal officials were demonized and ostracized in social media by Facebook trolls critical to the present administration.
"This shows that the Executive Branch has its share of criticisms from the social media trolls and the general public. As public servants, we are never immune from criticisms of the people we serve," he said.
Sambalud said instead of crying foul, they counter misinformation and attacks with what is only the truth on issues related to public governance and affairs of the local government especially on issues that matter to the public.
He said the Evangelista administration advocates a strong stance against disinformation.
"One of the cornerstones of this administration is participatory governance because we are committed to involving our Tomasino constituents by giving them a voice in public policies that affect them in the hope of translating these issues and concerns into an enabling policy by way of an ordinance coursed through the Sangguniang Bayan being the Legislative Branch, " he said.
Sambalud said the Facebook verified page of the Municipal Government of Santo Tomas serves a platform or a tool to hear public sentiments on various issues.
" But comments from the public favoring or criticizing those powers that be were never deleted because they don’t want to be accused of censorship unless otherwise, the Sangguniang Bayan passed a legislation regulating the same while taking into consideration the provisions of the 1987 Constitution that protects freedom of speech and expression, " he said.
Sambalud said his office as the communication arm of the Santo Tomas LGU, remains true to its mandate of proving truthful information as to the programs, projects, and activities under the Evangelista administration while imposing a tough stance against massive disinformation and encouraging a culture of public accountability in the government’s bureaucracy. (Armando Fenequito)
Image from Santo Tomas MIO