6 hours ago
1
Some invited resource persons, who have been fact-checked for false claims, such as Lorraine Badoy, Glen Chong and Allan Troy "Sass" Sasot were absent during the House Tri-Committee's hearing on disinformation on Tuesday, Feburary 4.
House of Representatives / Released
MANILA, Philippines — Right before the House Tri-Committee suspended its hearing on Friday, March 21, it reiterated the subpoenas for known red-taggers Lorraine Badoy and Jeffrey Celiz, including social media personality Allan Troy “Sass” Sasot.
In its third hearing on disinformation in the country, the Tri-Committee finally saw several of the vloggers, commentators and “influencers” it had invited but have snubbed the past two hearings.
Most of them are known supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his family.
RELATED: After Duterte’s ICC arrest, more vloggers show up at House disinfo hearing
However, Badoy, Celiz and Sasot were absent during Friday’s hearing. A subpoena ad testificandum legally compels them to appear and testify under oath at the hearing.
Former Malacañang press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles, one of the resource persons as a social media personality, told the committee that Badoy is currently out of the country.
“She sent me a copy of her ticket and a copy of her notice that she cannot make it today. However, I don’t think it has been received by the secretariat,” she said.
Meanwhile, Cruz-Angeles said Sasot is in China and “cannot return to the country.” The present vloggers and commentators said she attempted to join the hearing via Zoom but was not permitted to, which Pimentel said is only open to House members.
“During the last hearing, the committee has issued show-cause orders to 34 resource persons, mostly social media personalities,” Rep. Johnny Pimentel (Surigao del Sur, 2nd District) said.
He said that only 10 out of the 34 social media personalities the committee invited for today’s hearing were present. The other 24 include Badoy, Celiz and Sasot.
According to the secretariat, the other absent social media personalities invited as resource persons who were issued a subpoena as well were:
- Ernesto Abines Jr.
- Mary Binag
- Glenn Chong
- Alex Destor
- Elmer Jugalbot
- Julius Maui
- Alven Montero
- Jonathan Morales
- Vivian Zapata Rodriguez
- Darwin Salceda
- Jay Sonza
- Kester Ramon John Tan
“At this point, since we have already issued the show-cause order, … because of your non-appearance, this committee is now compelled to issue a subpoena,” Pimentel said as the committee’s presiding officer.
Rep. Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano (Abang Lingkod Party-list) made the motion, which was then seconded and approved by the committee.
If the subpoenaed resource persons fail to attend the next hearing, Pimentel said the Tri-Comm “has no recourse but to issue a contempt order.”
The tentative schedule for the fourth hearing is on April 8.
