Social media influencers issued with show-cause orders for skipping House hearing

National

A HEARING on the proliferation of fake news in the Philippines' House of Representatives was marked by controversy as only three of the 41 invited online personalities attended.

Lawmakers expressed their frustration at the absences, issuing show-cause orders to those who failed to appear, including former press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles.

Angeles declined the invitation, citing concerns over the legality of the inquiry and the proposed legislation, arguing that it violated free speech protections.

This led Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano to suggest that the House legal department consider disbarment proceedings against Angeles.

Several of the absentees, including Angeles and former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict spokesperson Lorraine Badoy, filed a petition before the Supreme Court, seeking to halt the investigation.

They argued that the inquiry infringed on their constitutional rights to free speech and expression, particularly in light of recent statements by Surigao Rep. Ace Barbers about paid trolls and vloggers allegedly spreading fake news.

The petitioners claimed the hearing, authorized by a House resolution, amounted to a "chilling effect" on free expression.

Barbers, however, clarified that the intention was not to stifle free speech, but to ensure accountability among content creators in the digital space.

He emphasized the need for a code of conduct to prevent the abuse of digital platforms for spreading misinformation.

In a related development, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) showcased a software tool capable of detecting deepfake videos, which could help authorities address online disinformation.

The Department of Information, Communications, and Technology (DICT) confirmed it was working to make the software more accessible to law enforcement agencies.(CMM)