Lawmakers to resume House hearing with vloggers on Tuesday
APPEARANCE Several vloggers and social media personalities
invited as resource persons take their oath during the House
tri-committee hearing on the spread of “fake news” and disinformation
in March 2025. —SCREENGRAB FROM THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MANILA, Philippines — Vloggers and social media influencers, including the three personalities who apologized for disseminating fake news on their official accounts, will attend the continuation of the House Representatives’ tri-committee hearing into the proliferation of false information online.
In a statement on Sunday, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez — public order and safety panel head — disclosed that Krizette Laureta Chu, Mark Lopez, Mary Jane Quiambao Reyes, and former press secretary and vlogger Atty. Rose Beatrix “Trixie” Cruz-Angeles is among the vloggers and social media influencers asked to attend the ongoing probe.
READ: Vloggers testify during House hearing on social media misinformation
The tri-committee — panels on public order and safety, information and communications technology, and public information — is currently probing the online spread of disinformation and fake news.
Below is the list of other vloggers and online influencers invited as resource persons:
- Jose “Jay” Yumang Sonza
- Elizabeth Joie Cruz (Joie De Vivre)
- Dr. Ethel Pineda Garcia
- Alvin Curay
- Ma. Khristine Claud Curay
- Epifanio Labrador
- Manuel Mata Jr. (Kokolokoy)
- Dr. Richard Tesoro Mata (Dr. Richard and Erika Mata)
- George Ahmed Paglinawan (Luminous by Trixie & Ahmed)
- Aeron Peña (Old School Pinoy)
- Ramon Gerardo B. San Luis
- Elijah San Fernando (Eli)
Aside from these names, Fernandez said the tri-comm also subpoenaed 24 vloggers and influencers to testify during the upcoming hearing. The joint panel likewise warned the following of facing contempt charges and detention if they opt to skip the probe:
- Ernesto S. Abines Jr.
- Lorraine Marie Tablang Badoy-Partosa
- Suzanne Batalla
- Mary Catherine Binag
- Jeffrey Almendras Celiz
- Atty. Glenn Chong
- Claire Eden Contreras
- Lord Byron Cristobal
- Jeffrey G. Cruz
- Alex Destor
- Ma. Florinda Espenilla-Duque
- Claro Ganac
- Edwin Jamora
- Elmer Jugalbot
- Julius Melanosi Maui
- Joe Smith Medina
- Alven L. Montero
- Jonathan Morales
- Cyrus Preglo
- Vivian Zapata Rodriguez
- Darwin Salceda
- Allan Troy “Sass” Rogando Sasot
- Maricar Serrano
- Kester Ramon John Balibalos Tan
During the last hearing, two vloggers apologized to House lawmakers after they were confronted with evidence that ran contrary to their claims.
Quiambao-Reyes apologized to Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. for claiming that extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in the Duterte administration’s drug war were a “hoax,” and that those who criticized former President Rodrigo Duterte were funded by drug cartels, terrorists, and corrupt politicians.
Meanwhile, Chu, who introduced herself as an editor with a political online blog, apologized for claiming that many police officers were about to resign after the International Criminal Court (ICC) took custody of the former president.
Aside from the vloggers, Fernandez said representatives from social media platforms such as Meta (Facebook), TikTok, and Google are also expected to attend the hearing and answer questions about their “content moderation systems and cooperation with government efforts against fake news.”
