LANAO del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong confirmed Monday that he and fellow members of the House Young Guns bloc plan to refile key legislative proposals in the upcoming 20th Congress, including those from the House’s Tri-Committee (Tri-Comm) on disinformation and the Quad Committee (Quad Comm) on extrajudicial killings, POGOs, and other pressing national issues.
“Ire-refile natin ‘yan. Pati na rin ‘yung mga bills na natapos na rin sa Quad, ire-refile rin ng mga miyembro ng Quad para dito sa 20th Congress,” Adiong said in an ambush interview
The Tri‑Comm was established in the 19th Congress to tackle the rising tide of online misinformation and disinformation.
In June, the House formally adopted its recommendations, which include measures to define and penalize online falsehoods, require digital platforms and social media personalities to comply with content accuracy standards and enhance tax compliance among digital content creators.
Adiong said the committee’s focus on both transparency and accountability remains critical as the Philippines navigates complex digital spaces.
He underscored this point in reference to a recent cyber libel case filed by Commodore Jay Tarriela against DDS vlogger Sass Sasot that highlighted the risk of damaging reputations online, a concern directly tied to the bills originally crafted under the Tri‑Comm framework.
“In our efforts to promote transparency, we must also ensure accountability,” Adiong said.
“Hindi ‘yung basta‑basta ka lang magsasabi ng mga issues, naglalatag ng mga impormasyon na naayon kung ano lang ‘yung bias mo at hindi naayon doon sa intention na bigyan ng tamang impormasyon ang publiko,” he added.
Those original Tri‑Comm recommendations were designed to guard against unverified claims that can mislead consumers of online content, undermining public trust and harming individuals.
Bills discussed included formal definitions of disinformation and malinformation, penalties for violators, and compliance obligations for platforms. \
Meanwhile, the Quad Comm issued a set of five legislative measures in June following its investigation into extrajudicial killings, offshore gaming operations, identity fraud and suspected espionage.
These bills included proposals to classify extrajudicial killings as heinous crimes, the prohibition of POGO operations, the civil forfeiture of real estate unlawfully acquired by foreign nationals, and strengthening customs enforcement against smuggling and related illegal activity.
Adiong described the issues probed by the Quad Comm as urgent concerns that reflect both rule‑of‑law failures and threats to national security.
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