Rep. Rodolfo Biazon (Muntinlupa City, Lone District) has directed the Office of the Civil Defense in Negros Oriental, to conduct in-depth investigation on a radio program in Dumaguete City, that allegedly broadcast wrong information that caused undue panic to people in La Libertad and Guihulngan City.

Biazon, who chairs the National Defense and Security Committee of the House of Representatives, gave the order in yesterday’s oversight committee meeting at the City Session Hall in Dumaguete City.

At the meeting, Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong (Neg. Or., 1st District) expressed her frustration over the "irresponsible broadcasters", who announced that the La Libertad town and Guihulngan City would be submerged.

The unverified report caused panic, with some residents hastily packing their belongings so that they could evacuate to higher grounds.

Limkaichong said this kind of reporting should be corrected by the government.

Allen Cabaron, of OCD Negros Oriental, said they were told about the unverified report that was announced over a radio program, adding that they even went to the station to correct the false report.

Limkaichong wanted Cabaron to name the radio program and the broadcasters, but Biazon insisted that the matter be turned over to OCD for investigation.

OCD Administrator Benito Ramos said all media entities, broadcasters and reporters, should get official information only from the OCD. Information not coming from OCD should not be announced or reported, he stressed.

Biazon said information that concerns national security and disaster should be properly filtered, verified, and checked before it is released to the public.

He also ordered the OCD to coordinate with the Kilusan ng mga Broadkaster ng Pilipinas or any media organization to correct this kind of reporting.*MA

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