At a time of widespread disinformation, Ateneo de Davao University Board of Trustees and former Al Jazeera English Correspondent Jamela Alindogan urged the need to develop a critical eye over the threat of false narratives that endanger the community.

Alindogan pointed out the weaponization of disinformation, highlighting how differing narratives can be manipulated to reshape public perception depending on who controls them.  

“I always believe that one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. So always understand that there’s a different lens that we’re seeing, and that other lens is being used somewhere,” she explained. 

She cautioned against engaging in online disinformation, warning that constant arguments online can easily spiral into trivial bickering that further distorts truth and creates more confusion.

“We have a responsibility to assist and protect those who may be susceptible to disinformation, considering that even children are now targeted by coordinated propaganda.”

Alindogan drew global examples of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as disinformation employed in international conflicts, where control of the narrative becomes as critical as control of territory.

During the open forum, a self-identified former member of the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People’s Army Jam Sanguino raised to Alindogan on how campus press publications can be held accountable for being “propaganda platforms,” citing  Atenews’ coverage of the Agusan 6 case, as an example of a supposed “deceptive narrative”.

“Deceptive to whom? Propaganda for what?… The journalist’s responsibility is to publish the minority perspective. And in this situation, whether we agree with it or not, the minority perspective is what’s there,” Alindogan asserted in response to Sanguino’s claim. 

Alindogan further reminded student-journalists that their strongest protection lies in building credibility through accuracy, professionalism, and ethical reporting, recognizing the forms of harassment, intimidation, and even red-tagging faced by campus publications.

“The best way to combat disinformation is to be good at what you do, so professional that no one can question your credibility,” she emphasized.

Alindogan concluded that combating disinformation requires responsibility and discernment from everyone, not only for journalists, since manipulated stories can easily divide communities and obscure the truth. 

The forum “Hidden War: Information as the New Battleground in the Philippines” was held on September 13, 2025, at 11/F Calungsod – San Victores Dialogue Center, CCFC Building, Ateneo de Davao University.