MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation will look into those behind a fake voice clip warning of a total lockdown amid the COVID-19 crisis, said Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.

In a message to reporters, Guevarra said that he will ask the NBI “to investigate this phone clip on social media that seeks to agitate and alarm the public with a falsehood.”

The Department of the Interior and Local Government also said that the clip urging people to stock up on food that was spread in private messages is fake.

DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya in Monday’s virtual Laging Handa briefing said in Filipino: “There is no such directive from our government. Our president has yet to decide on whatever lockdown.”

Malaya, however, said that the government will be stricter in implementing the enhanced community quarantine guidelines that sent millions of Filipinos in their homes.

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GMA News and Public Affairs also denied that the woman in the voice clip is their veteran broadcaster Jessica Soho.

“Ms. Soho has not made any pronouncements to such effect. We urge the publilc to refrain from sharing the clip which may mislead people,” it said in a statement.

Luzon is placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine until April 30. The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases is currently discussing what will be done after April 30, its spokesperson, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Monday morning.

Fake news prohibited under Bayanihan law

The DILG official also warned that spread of false information is punishable under Republic Act 11468 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

Section 6(f) of the law punishes the following acts:

Individuals or groups creating, perpetrating, or spreading false information regarding the COVID-19 crisis on social media and other platforms, such information having no valid or beneficial effect on the population and are clearly geared to promote chaos, panic, anarchy, fear or confusion

Those participating in cyber incidents that make use or take advantage of the current crisis situation to prey on public through scams, phishing, fraudulent emails or other similar acts

Those found violating this provision may face two months imprisonment or a fine of not less than P10,000. Courts may also impose a fine of up to P1 million.

The NBI previously said they sent out more than a dozen invitation in its fact-finding probe into social media posts bearing false news.

One of these, however, cited a violation of the decades-old Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code which explains “unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances.”