Claim: The National Flag is a symbol of the Filipino people, burning the National Flag is disrespectful and should be punished by the law. Scouts who burn the National Flag should be arrested.
Rating: False
The facts: Burning old and worn-out Philippine flags is compliant with Section 14 of Republic Act No. 8491 or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, whereas, A flag worn out through wear and tear shall not be thrown away. It shall be solemnly burned to avoid misuse or desecration. The flag shall be replaced immediately when it begins to show signs of wear and tear.
Why we fact-checked this: The Boy Scout of the Philippines celebrated the Philippines’ 124th anniversary of its independence on Sunday, June 12. During the commemorative activity, various Scouting units in different areas in the Philippines held flag-burning ceremonies to respectfully and law-abidingly discard strained flags. Such activities received backlash from netizens in the comment section of different news outfits who claim that such actions were disrespectful and illegal, especially via Facebook.
