MALACAÑANG  Manila

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 90

DECLARING UNLAWFUL RUMOR-MONGERING AND SPREADING FALSE INFORMATION

WHEREAS, a primordial objective of Proclamation No. 1081 dated September 21, 1972 is the early restoration of peace, order and tranquility throughout the country;

WHEREAS, one of the most insidious means of disrupting such peace, order and tranquility is the utterance, publication, distribution, circulation and spread of rumors, false news or information and gossip that cause divisive effects among the people, discredit of or distrust for the duly constituted authorities and/or that undermine the stability of the government and the objectives of the New Society and, therefore, inimical to the best interests of the State;

WHEREAS, to attain the aforesaid primordial objective of Proclamation No. 1081, it is imperative that such acts be curbed and penalized;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, in my capacity as Commander-in-Chief of all the Armed Forces of the Philippines and pursuant to Proclamation No. 1081 dated September 21, 1972, do hereby order and decree that any person who shall offer, publish, distribute, circulate and spread rumors, false news and information and gossip, or cause the publication, distribution, circulation or spreading of the same, which cause or tend to cause panic, divisive effects among the people, discredit of or distrust for the duly constituted authorities, undermine the stability of the Government and the objectives of the New Society, endanger the public order, or cause damage to the interest or credit of the State shall, upon conviction, be punished by prision correccional. In case the offender is a government official or employee, the accessory penalty of absolute perpetual disqualification from holding any public office shall be imposed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 6th day of January, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-three.

(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) ALEJANDRO MELCHOR
Executive Secretary

Source: Malacañang Records Office