Santa Rosa Rep. Dan Fernandez 鈥� Photo from the House of Representatives
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The House tri-committee will hold its second hearing on the online spread of disinformation and fake news on Tuesday, February 18.
The probe followed the issuance of show-cause orders to several social media personalities and vloggers who failed to appear at the first hearing on February 4.
The committees on public order and safety, information and communications technology, and public information warned that failure to comply with the hearing could lead to subpoenas and citations for contempt.
鈥淲e are not suppressing free speech. We are investigating whether social media is being used to mislead the public, undermine institutions, or facilitate foreign disinformation,鈥� Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez, House tri-committee overall chair, said in a statement on Sunday.
READ: Vloggers question House 鈥榝ake news鈥� probe at SC
Fernandez emphasized that the hearing was part of a broader effort to assess whether current laws were sufficient to address digital misinformation or if new measures are needed.
鈥淲e have to determine whether existing laws are enough to address this growing problem or if new measures are necessary,鈥� he said.
According to Fernandez, the February 18 hearing is expected to set the direction for future legislative actions aimed at tackling the spread of misleading online content and the role of digital platforms in its proliferation.
The tri-comm is also weighing potential policy responses to digital misinformation, including stricter accountability measures for social media influencers, improved regulation of online content, and stronger enforcement against foreign-backed disinformation campaigns.
With this, the panel has summoned government officials, representatives from major social media platforms, legal experts, and media organizations to broaden the investigation.
The following are among those expected to testify:
- Anti-Money Laundering Council Chairperson Eli Remolona Jr.
- Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr.
- Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy
- Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil
Executives from ByteDance (TikTok), Google Philippines, and Meta (Facebook/Instagram) have also been invited to discuss their efforts in combating misinformation.
Legal and media professionals are also expected to present their views on potential regulatory measures. Among them are the following:
- UP College of Law Professor Joan De Venecia-Fabul
- representatives from the Philippine Daily Inquirer
- VERA Files President Ellen Tordesillas
Fernandez reiterated that the upcoming hearing would play a key role in shaping legislative actions on online disinformation and platform accountability.