At least 11 social media personalities and vloggers may face possible contempt—including former Communications Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles—if they continue to ignore summons of the House of Representatives Tri-Committee, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez said.
The TriComm will convene its third public hearing on Friday to address the growing threat of online disinformation or “fake news” allegedly intended to present the public with a negative image of public institutions.
Fernandez, overall chairman of the committee, 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,” he said.
The Committees on Public Order and Safety, Information and Communications Technology, and Public Information 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 the 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.
“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,” Fernandez said.
Meanwhile, Malacañang said the government is considering regulating social media posts, amid the spread of misinformation and disinformation in the wake of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest and surrender to the International Criminal Court.
In a briefing on Wednesday, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said discussions are underway for the possible release of new guidelines for the measure.
She pointed out that even the Supreme Court has become a victim of fake news, following the circulation of social media posts falsely claiming that the high tribunal issued a temporary restraining order on Duterte’s arrest, and a non-existent petition seeking the resignation of President Marcos.
“It’s not just the government that will fix this. We all have to work together so that we can prevent, we can eliminate all fake news,” Castro said in Filipino.
Amid the proliferation of disinformation, the Armed Forces of the Philippines reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the freedom of expression for civilians, including families of military personnel.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has not issued any guidance restricting the freedom of expression of civilians, including the families of military personnel on social media,” AFP Public Affairs Office Chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement.
While reaffirming its dedication to transparency, the AFP encouraged responsible use of social media, urging citizens to engage critically with online content to help combat the spread of disinformation.
“The AFP upholds the right to freedom of expression for all citizens. We encourage responsible online engagement and critical evaluation of information to mitigate the spread of disinformation,” Trinidad added.