In a press statement released on Thursday, the center said it has contacted the Finance Ministry, which refuted these baseless reports.

The ministry asserted that it does not intend to slap new taxes on mobile services, either phone calls or SMS.

It explained that any new taxes cannot be levied unless a law is issued and approved by the House of Representatives.

The ministry appealed to all mass media outlets and social media users to seek accuracy before spreading any false news that could stir up public opinion. (