Philippine president vetoes bill seeking to tackle social media abuse


FILE PHOTO: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures as he delivers his 6th State of the Nation Address (SONA), at the House of Representative in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, July 26, 2021. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David/File Photo

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has vetoed a bill that would require social media users to register their legal identities and phone numbers, calling for a more thorough study of the measure, his spokesperson said on Friday.

Lawmakers had approved the measure earlier this year as they sought to thwart online abuse and misinformation, especially in the run up to the May 9 general election. But with Duterte's veto, the bill is unlikely to be passed before the poll.

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