THE House Tri-Committee (Tri-Comm) is set to hold its third public hearing on Friday to tackle the growing threat of disinformation and fake news online, with 11 social media personalities—including former Communications Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles—facing possible contempt charges and detention for ignoring the ongoing probe.
The Committees on Public Order and Safety, Information and Communications Technology, and Public Information had earlier issued show cause orders to individuals linked to the spread of misleading online content.
Despite multiple summonses, several failed to appear before the panel, prompting the committee to escalate legal measures, including issuance of subpoenas to be served against the 11 vloggers.
Alongside Cruz-Angeles, a lawyer, those facing contempt citations are Aeron Peña, Allan Troy “Sass” Rogando Sasot, Elizabeth Joie Cruz, Dr. Ethel Pineda Garcia, Jeffrey Almendras Celiz, Krizette Laureta Chu, Lorraine Marie Tablang Badoy-Partosa, Mark Anthony Lopez, Mary Jean Quiambao Reyes and Richard Tesoro Mata.
Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez, overall chair of the Tri-Comm, said the congressional probe seeks to hold individuals accountable for the spread of false and manipulative content online.
“Disinformation is a national security issue. It erodes public trust, destabilizes institutions, and manipulates democratic discourse. We cannot allow social media to become a free-for-all platform for deception and propaganda,” daid Fernandez, chairman of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety.
Fernandez added the committee is enforcing contempt citations to uphold the integrity of congressional investigations.
“Congress has the authority to summon individuals to testify on matters of public interest. Ignoring lawful orders is a direct challenge to our institution and the democratic principles we protect,” he explained.
Earlier, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, lead chairman of the House Quad Comm, said the House Tri-comm inquiry on the dissemination of fake news and malicious content on social media platforms is not intended to suppress the freedom of expression or of speech.
Barbers, whose privilege speech last December 16, together with a resolution authored by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., prompted the inquiry, made clear the purpose of the probe at the start of Tri-Comm’s hearings.
“I just would like to reiterate that the objective of the the hearings the Tri-comm is conducting is not to suppress the freedom of expression or the freedom of speech,” Barbers, chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said.
“In fact we are all aware that this is provided for in our Constitution and we’d like to respect the right of every one to his own opinion or to his own expression. Contrary to what others may be thinking, this is not in any way a tool to suppress their expressions or opinions on certain issues, whether they may be political or economic or even other points of views,” Barbers said.
Barbers said he and his colleagues want certain rules or best practices to govern the dissemination of information on social media
The scheduled hearing on Friday will also feature testimony from key government agencies, social media platforms, media organizations and civil society groups.
Officials from the Anti-Money Laundering Council, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Commission on Elections, Department of Justice, National Bureau of Investigation, National Telecommunications Commission and the Philippine National Police have been invited to provide insight into regulatory and enforcement measures against disinformation.
Representatives from Google Philippines, Meta (Facebook), and ByteDance (TikTok) are also expected to address concerns over the role of their platforms in spreading misinformation.
The Tri-Comm investigating the proliferation of fake news has issued show cause orders to the Philippine offices of Facebook and TikTok for their non-attendance at the recent hearing on disinformation.
Media organizations, including the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), Manila Broadcasting Company, PressOne. PH, and VERA Files, will present findings on the extent of fake news proliferation.
Social media figures, including Jay Sonza, Vivian Velez, Enzo Recto and George Ahmed Paglinawan have also been summoned to testify.
The congressional probe is part of a broader effort to curb the spread of online disinformation, which lawmakers say poses a threat to national security and democratic institutions.
The Tri-Comm is expected to lay the groundwork for legislative measures aimed at combating the deliberate spread of disinformation in the country.
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