The House Tri Committee (Tri Comm) has taken decisive action by issuing subpoenas to a group of social media influencers and vloggers who did not appear at a recent congressional hearing, despite receiving show cause orders. The committee warned that further non-compliance could result in legal repercussions. The list of those subpoenaed includes notable figures such as Trixie Cruz-Angeles, Krizette Laureta Chu, Sass Rogando Sasot, and others who cited a pending Supreme Court petition as their reason for absence. The motion to issue these subpoenas was initiated by Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano and was swiftly approved by Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, who chairs the Tri Comm hearing.
Paduano highlighted that Cruz-Angeles was specifically targeted with a show cause order not for her absence, but due to her public challenge to the committee’s jurisdiction. He stressed the importance of respecting the Constitution, particularly the legislative power to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation. Furthermore, Paduano mentioned that the committee’s legal department is contemplating a disbarment case against Cruz-Angeles for her repeated breaches of legal ethics. Cruz-Angeles has faced previous suspensions by the Supreme Court for professional misconduct.
In addition to the influencers, the Tri Comm also issued show cause orders to the Philippine offices of Facebook and TikTok for failing to attend a hearing on disinformation. 1RIDER Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez noted that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, claimed its Philippine office was not authorized to receive the invitation. Similarly, ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, provided an unsubstantiated reason for their absence. The committee is now moving to reissue unserved show cause orders and is coordinating with the Philippine National Police to ensure proper service.
The Tri Comm, which includes the Committees on Public Order and Safety, Information and Communications Technology, and Public Information, is intensifying its efforts to combat the spread of disinformation and fake news online. The recent hearing focused on the role of social media platforms in spreading misleading content and the potential need for regulatory measures.