The House tri-committee is set to launch on Monday its full-blown investigation into the propagation of fake news and the operation of troll farms, in an effort to curb this “massive disinformation machinery” ahead of the election campaign season.
The three panels — public order, public information, and information and communications technology — will rigorously examine the loopholes in existing policies that enable disinformation peddlers and vloggers to disseminate false information, posing a serious threat to national security.
Sta. Rosa Rep. Dan Fernandez, who will spearhead the joint probe, warned that heads will roll once the culprits behind the rampant spread of manipulative information for political advantage are identified.
"We will not allow this system deceiving our constituents to continue. It is now high time for us to know those who are spreading lies for personal interest," he said.
The tri-committee was formed following a resolution in December to investigate the proliferation of “false and malicious content” targeting members of the House quad committee, which is probing the Duterte administration’s drug war and criminal activities linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
Fernandez and quad committee chairperson Ace Barbers allege that these troll farms are being financed by a POGO boss to attack, discredit, and undermine the mega-panel’s continuing probe into the outlawed industry.
Previously, Fernandez claimed that the proceeds are coming from Duterte’s former economic adviser, Michael Yang, whose name has been tied to various criminal activities, including illegal drug trafficking and POGOs.
Yang is also reportedly one of the incorporators of Empire 999 Realty Corporation, which owns the warehouse in Mexico, Pampanga, where P3.5 billion worth of shabu was seized in September last year.
The congressional investigation aims to scrutinize the effectiveness of social media platforms in addressing the dangers of disinformation and identify legislative gaps. Representatives from major social media platforms are expected to appear before the hearing to explain their policies and accountability measures in purging fake news, cyberbullying, and harmful content.
Members of the quad committee have cried foul over reportedly being subjected to false information, which they claim is aimed at tainting their reputation ahead of the May mid-term elections.
Further, they allege that these troll farms not only verbally attack lawmakers but also intimidate and discourage witnesses of the panel exposing the links between illegal drugs and corruption.
The National Bureau of Investigation earlier warned that it would hesitate to file criminal charges against vloggers who incite sedition or cause excessive defamation without basis.
Meanwhile, it encouraged public officials who are being cursed and subjected to defamation to file cyber libel complaints against these vloggers.