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Influencers, vloggers snub House probe, seek SC intervention

MANILA, Philippines — Only three of the 41 online personalities invited by the tri-committee of the House of Representatives attended yesterday’s hearing about the proliferation of fake news, earning the ire of lawmakers who were forced to issue show-cause orders.

All of the absentees, according to presiding chairman Rep. Dan Fernandez, submitted “excuse letters,” while one – Trixie Cruz-Angeles who served as President Marcos’ first press secretary – questioned the legality of the chamber’s deliberations.

“I respectfully decline this invitation as I question the legality of the inquiry as well as the proposed legislation for being violative of the constitutional guarantee of free speech,” Fernandez quoted Angeles as saying in her letter.

“She is an officer of the court, and she should respect the constitutional duty of Congress. I move that we will consult the legal department of this House for a possible disbarment case against Atty. Angeles,” Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano said.

Paduano’s first move was to issue a show-cause order for Angeles to personally appear at their next hearing, along with so-called “influencers” Elizabeth Cruz (Joie De Vivre online), Krizette Lauretta Chu, Mark Anthony Lopez, Jun Abines Jr., Richard Tesoro Mata, Aaron Peña, Suzanne Batalla (IamShanwein) and Ethel Pineda.

A show-cause order compels an individual to appear and justify why they should not face penalties.

Several of the personalities, including Angeles and former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict spokesperson Lorraine Badoy, filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition with urgent prayer for the issuance of a temporary restraining order and writ of preliminary injunction before the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday as they skipped the tri-committee hearing.

Named respondents were Speaker Martin Romualdez, Surigao Rep. Ace Barbers and tri-committee members Rep. Tobias Tiangco, Rep. Jose Aquino II and Fernandez.

The petitioners claimed the inquiry violates their constitutional rights to free speech, expression and press freedom, adding that the tri-committee acted with grave abuse of discretion when it made “threats to the free exercise of speech, freedom

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