A Palace spokesman on Monday raised the possibility of President Rodrigo Duterte's supporters on Facebook shifting to another site after pro-Duterte sites were banned on the social media giant.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Facebook's decision to tap Rappler and Vera Files to fact-check websites sharing content on social media is FB's own solution to counter fake news.

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"There are those complaining that the chosen 'police of truth', so to speak are sometimes partisan themselves and of course this is the problem with truth -- that can be subjective depending on your political perspective and that is why I commiserate with those that object with the selection of Rappler and Vera Files because we know where they stand," he told Palace reporters.

Roque said Facebook users who are unhappy with the social network's decision should make their issues heard on the platform.

Asked about the call of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. executive Jimmy Bondoc to leave Facebook and shift to Russian-based online social network VK.com, Roque said: "That is a free market place of ideas...My advice is for the Facebook users to make their wishes known to Facebook and of course, the possibility of shifting is always there.'

He noted that there is a widespread movement to delete Facebook not just because of fake news but because of privacy concerns.

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Manila Bulletin technology editor Art Samaniego earlier told DZMM radio that he disagreed with the social media giant's recent move to partner with Rappler and Vera Files to check the spread of fake news on its platform.

"Hindi censorship ang solution para sa akin. Para sa akin ang solusyon d'yan ay education," Samaniego said.

(Censorship is not the solution for me. I think the solution is education.)

"Para sa akin kasi dapat ikaw mismo ang mimimili kung ano ang para sa 'yo ano yung gusto mong makita ano yung gusto mong marinig," said Samaniego.

(For me, it should be you who chooses what you want to see and what you want to hear.)

• Facebook blocking of 'fake news' is censorship - tech journalist