The House prosecution team is set to coordinate with investigative agencies to probe online accounts that were spreading disinformation regarding the ongoing impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte, a lawmaker said.

Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon revealed Friday that he would be communicating with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) on possible actions that may be taken against accounts that were deceiving the public.

His remarks stemmed from posts that circulated online connected to a supposed criticism that defense lawyer Atty. Michael Poa had against him, which was presented through a quote card.

Poa had since debunked that he uttered such statements, asserting that he had nothing but respect for Ridon and the House prosecutors and remained focused on the issues that were being tackled in the trial.

“I [Ridon] would like to thank Atty. Poa because at the start of the week I think there was fake news that came out that we supposedly had a debate. It was something that he disowned and we thank him for that,” Ridon said in an online press conference

“He has my friendship and he has my respect on the matter,” he added.

What the lawmaker did not respect, however, were the pages that shared the quote on their profiles as it fed into the “information ecosystem” that the prosecutors were attempting to counteract.

Ridon said that they had already traced the originator of the quote, claiming that the group was “notorious” for disseminating fake quote cards on all parties involved in the impeachment proceedings.

“We will coordinate with the CICC on the matter to look further into the personalities behind these fake news because this is precisely the information ecosystem that will be under threat when there are more restrictions imposed on public information mechanisms…in this trial,” he said.

During the 15th day of the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte on 12 August, impeachment court presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero said that they would be ruling on a matter concerning the public statements of parties involved in the proceedings.

Though not identifying a particular party, Escudero said that “one side” was repeatedly crossing the line when it came to the comments they shared in interviews.

In the same hearing, lead defense lawyer Atty. Sheila Sison had manifested her concern over a social media post by private prosecutor Atty. Armando Virgil Ligutan, which was supposedly directed at one of her fellow counsel.

Escudero did not issue his ruling on the matter when the trial resumed last Monday, 17 August.

If the senator does decide to impose stricter guidelines for all parties in the trial, Ridon feared that fake news peddlers would fill gaps from the resulting vacuum in information that such restrictions may impose.

“So we really shouldn't allow that and we really need to catch up,” the lawmaker said.

Despite being part of the opposing counsel, Poa had earned respect from prosecutors for his calm demeanor whenever he represented Duterte’s camp.

Ridon had previously stated that they never had any issues when Poa cross-examined their witnesses, compared to other lawyers of the Vice President who were raising their voice at other parties involved in the trial.

“A very important point needs to be made, this never happened under Michael Poa actually presenting evidence, we never had debates on anger issues, on raising your voice to the prosecution, the presiding officer, and to the witness,” he explained.

“That was never a concern when Attorney Poa was actually presenting the evidence.”