Wazzup Pilipinas!?
The House Tri-Committee probe into the spread of "fake news" and disinformation continues to face roadblocks as key social media personalities refuse to attend. Out of the 40 invited influencers, only four participated in the first hearing: Atty. Ricky Tomotorgo, columnist Malou Tiquia, vlogger Marc Gamboa and blogger Ross Flores Del Rosario. Meanwhile, others, including Lorraine Badoy, Glen Chong, and Allan Troy "Sass" Sasot, have been issued show cause orders, and lately subpoenas, for failing to appear.
Among those invited as a resource person was Ross Flores Del Rosario, founder of Wazzup Pilipinas, who has been vocal about responsible online journalism. Del Rosario took a different approach compared to those who outright refused to attend. Instead, he even submitted a proposal outlining possible regulations the House could consider implementing to curb the spread of misinformation while protecting digital freedom. His proposal, sent immediately after the first hearing on February 4, 2025, emphasizes a balanced approach to regulating social media, ensuring both transparency and accountability without compromising free speech. On the second hearing on February 18, he made sure to inform the Tricomm of the proposal he sent via email. He is still awaiting feedback from the Tricomm if they wish to consult him further. Hoping they were able to finally read and evaluate it.
Legal Maneuvers: Petition to the Supreme Court
The mentioned social media influencers along with others have filed a petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court, questioning the legal basis of the House investigation. As a result, they are citing the pending petition as their primary reason for non-attendance. The legal debate now centers on whether these personalities can be compelled to appear before the committee or if they can lawfully refuse until the Supreme Court issues a ruling.
Adding to the legal drama, lawyers representing a social media influencer who also writes for a mainstream publication attended the recent February 18 hearing. They emphasized the existence of the Supreme Court petition as justification for their client’s absence, further complicating the committee’s ability to proceed.
Subpoenas and Show Cause Orders Issued
In response to the influencers’ continued defiance, the House Tri-Committee has issued subpoenas and show cause orders, not only to the absent personalities but also to representatives of social media platforms such as Facebook Philippines and ByteDance Philippines (the owner of TikTok). These companies were expected to participate in the hearings to shed light on the role of their platforms in the dissemination of false information, but they too failed to attend.
Lawmakers argue that the absence of these tech giants hinders the committee’s objective of identifying weaknesses in current laws and policies regulating digital platforms. The show cause orders now demand an explanation for their non-appearance and raise the possibility of further legal action.
What’s Next? The Uncertainty of the Investigation
The House Tri-Committee’s investigation aims to develop solutions that will ensure public access to credible and factual information. However, with the Supreme Court petition still unresolved, the probe faces significant delays. Whether the invited influencers will eventually comply or the legal battle will stretch on indefinitely remains an open question.
Meanwhile, Ross Flores Del Rosario’s proactive stance offers a glimpse of a potential middle ground—one that encourages collaboration rather than resistance. His proposal could serve as a foundation for a more constructive discussion on regulating digital content in the country. The ongoing conflict highlights a broader challenge in balancing digital freedom with accountability in the era of social media. Will the House be able to enforce its authority, or will the Supreme Court side with the influencers? Until a definitive ruling is made, the debate over the regulation of social media content in the Philippines will continue to intensify.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
