Philippine critics in firing line of anti-communist misinformation war

In a photo from Dec 10, 2020, lawmaker Sarah Elago (centre) delivers a speech to commemorate International Human Rights Day in Manila. - AFP

MANILA (AFP): Philippine lawmaker Sarah Elago faces a daily barrage of Facebook posts linking her to communist rebels trying to overthrow the government. She says the claims are false, but they could get her killed anyway.

A torrent of misinformation on the social media platform has put activists, journalists, politicians and lawyers in the firing line as President Rodrigo Duterte's government and military out alleged supporters of a decades-old Maoist insurgency.