Tarriela slaps vlogger with cyberlibel raps
Sasot, a prominent vlogger and commentator on Philippine foreign policy and politics, has not yet issued a public statement in response to the complaint.
Daily TribuneSasot, a prominent vlogger and commentator on Philippine foreign policy and politics, has not yet issued a public statement in response to the complaint.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela shows a copy of his cyberlibel complaint against social media influencer Allan Rogando Sasot, also known as Sass Rogando Sasot, at the Office of the City Prosecutor in Manila on Friday. Tarriela is represented by his lawyers Antonio Laviña and Tim Calumpong.
Photo by toto lozano FOR DAILY TRIBUNE
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela has filed a cyber libel complaint against vlogger Sass Rogando Sasot, alleging that Sasot made a series of online posts accusing him of corruption, bribery and misconduct.
In a 21-page complaint-affidavit submitted Friday to the Office of the City Prosecutor of Manila, Tarriela cited multiple Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) posts by Sasot between July 2024 and April 2025 that he claims are defamatory and damaging to his reputation.
Tarriela specifically disputed allegations that he received $4 million from the United States as a “talent fee” for his role in WPS-related activities, that he took three black bags from House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s residence, and that he was involved in a secret US-led operation dubbed “Project Atlantis.”
The posts, according to Tarriela, also implied he was dismissed from the Philippine Military Academy for cheating and questioned his ownership of a high-end wristwatch, suggesting it could not be explained by his government salary.
“These statements are not just inaccurate — they are utterly false,” Tarriela said in his affidavit, asserting that the posts were made with “actual malice” and aimed at undermining his credibility and the integrity of the PCG’s West Philippine Sea Transparency Group, which he leads.
Tarriela included screenshots of the posts in his complaint. The posts were initially published on Sasot’s public Facebook page, “For the Motherland — Sass Rogando Sasot,” which Facebook later took down, and her X account with more than 30,000 followers.
Colleagues at the PCG preserved and authenticated the posts and submitted sworn affidavits.
Sasot, a prominent vlogger and commentator on Philippine foreign policy and politics, has not yet issued a public statement in response to the complaint. However, in some of her previous posts, she claimed to have reliable sources for her allegations.
Tarriela, represented by the Movement Against Disinformation and former environment undersecretary Antonio La Viña, is seeking at least P1.25 million in damages, including P300,000 in moral damages, P200,000 in nominal damages, P250,000 in exemplary damages and P500,000 in temperate damages.
The PCG official invoked Section 4(c)(4) of Republic Act 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, which penalizes online libel based on the Revised Penal Code.
He also stressed that while freedom of expression is constitutionally protected, it “is not an unrestricted license to spread fake news and disinformation, particularly at the expense of a public officer.”
