By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD CITY – Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez urged the public not to follow troll accounts on social media and to remain vigilant against fake news.
Benitez made this appeal on his official social media page Tuesday.
“I urge all Bacolodnons not to follow troll account pages and instead support mainstream media accounts and posts,” he said.
He emphasized that credible media outlets have teams dedicated to fact-checking and validation, ensuring the accuracy and trustworthiness of their reports.
Since taking office, Benitez said he has encouraged the public to bring their concerns to the proper platform.
“That’s why we launched Isugid kay Mayor to ensure your concerns are heard and properly addressed,” he added.
Earlier, during a press briefing at the Bacolod Government Center, Benitez challenged the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas and the Negros Press Club to develop a self-regulating system to weed out fake news and dummy accounts.
“Once you see it’s a dummy account or a troll, you know what their purpose is—they have no good intentions,” he said.
He stressed that the primary goal of trolls and fake accounts is to malign opponents and fabricate negative stories against them.
“This always happens during election periods,” he noted, adding that trolls and dummy accounts tend to surface and spread fake news against their targets at such times.
“I actually want to change the election culture here,” Benitez said.
“Instead of finding faults in your opponents or fabricating unfounded stories, why not present yourself properly and focus on what you can do for the city?” he added.
He said he believes this approach is a more effective campaign strategy than attacking political rivals.
“That is my advice. I have always stood for a proper campaign by presenting my platform. Negative campaigning is not effective,” he stressed.
Benitez also encouraged critics, including members of the media, to file charges in court if they believe there are anomalies in the city government, emphasizing that the court is the proper venue for such grievances.
“I am all for improving and making the city better,” he said.
