The House Tri Committee issued subpoenas to several social media influencers and vloggers on Tuesday after they failed to attend a congressional hearing despite being served with show cause orders. The committee warned that continued defiance could lead to legal consequences, emphasizing the importance of accountability in legislative investigations.
Among those subpoenaed were Trixie Cruz-Angeles, Krizette Laureta Chu, Sass Rogando Sasot, Mark Anthony Lopez, Lorraine Marie Badoy-Partosa, Jeffrey Almendras Celiz (also known as Eric Celiz), Dr. Richard Mata, Ethel Pineda Garcia, Joie De Vivre (Elizabeth Joi Cruz), Aaron Peña, and Mary Jean Reyes. These individuals were called to the hearing in connection with the committee’s investigation into the spread of disinformation and fake news online.
The motion to issue the subpoenas was filed by Abang Lingkod Party-list Representative Joseph Stephen Paduano, who noted that the influencers cited a pending petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court as their reason for non-attendance. “We have received several letters from those issued with show cause orders during the February 4 hearing. Most of them cited their Supreme Court petition as their reason for absence,” Paduano explained. However, Paduano clarified that none of the individuals had been cited for contempt, though the committee had to escalate its actions to ensure compliance with legislative procedures.
During the hearing, Antipolo Representative Romeo Acop, who chaired the Tri Committee hearing, swiftly approved the motion to issue the subpoenas. “There’s a motion to issue subpoenas to all those mentioned by Representative Paduano for not attending and not responding to the show cause order issued by the three committees. Hearing no objections, the motion is carried,” Acop ruled.
One exception was made for Suzanne Batalla, whose subpoena was put on hold after she submitted a medical certificate explaining her absence.
Legal Actions Against Cruz-Angeles
The committee also focused on Trixie Cruz-Angeles, who publicly questioned the legitimacy of the congressional inquiry. Paduano explained that the show cause order issued to her was not due to her absence but because of the content of her communication, which challenged the committee’s jurisdiction. He emphasized that as a lawyer, Cruz-Angeles is bound to respect the Constitution, including Congress’ authority to conduct investigations in aid of legislation.
Paduano announced that the committee’s Legal Department is exploring the possibility of filing a disbarment case against Cruz-Angeles for allegedly violating legal ethics. “An officer of the court must conduct herself as a true advocate of the law, rather than being the one directly promoting its defiance,” Paduano stated.
Records show that Cruz-Angeles has previously faced disciplinary actions from the Supreme Court. She was suspended for three years in 2016 for alleged neglect of a client’s case and again in 2023 for six months for reportedly using abusive language in a legal pleading.
Unserved Show Cause Orders and Coordination with PNP
To ensure compliance, Paduano moved for the reissuance of unserved show cause orders from the February 4 hearing. He requested the Sergeant-at-Arms to coordinate with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to properly serve the orders. The motion was approved by the Tri Committee.
Subpoenas to Facebook and TikTok
The committee also issued show cause orders to the Philippine offices of social media giants Facebook and TikTok for failing to attend the hearing on disinformation. 1RIDER Party-list Representative Rodge Gutierrez revealed that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, had sent a letter through its legal counsel, claiming that Facebook Philippines was not authorized to receive the congressional invitation.
Gutierrez questioned this justification, pointing out that Google Philippines, despite being part of an international entity, attended the hearing. “Google Philippines chose to appear, even though they are under an international entity. This reason should not stand for Facebook Philippines,” he argued.
Gutierrez also addressed the absence of ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, which cited an unsubstantiated engagement in Singapore as the reason for non-attendance. The committee decided to issue show cause orders to Peachy Paderna of ByteDance Philippines and Genixon David of Meta Platforms (Facebook Philippines).
Ongoing Investigation into Disinformation and Fake News
The Tri Committee, composed of the Committees on Public Order and Safety, Information and Communications Technology, and Public Information, continues its investigation into the proliferation of fake news and disinformation online. The hearing aimed to assess the role of social media platforms in the spread of misleading content and to explore potential regulatory measures to combat disinformation.
The House Tri Committee’s actions underscore its commitment to holding individuals and platforms accountable in the fight against fake news, while also safeguarding the integrity of legislative investigations in aid of legislation.
