Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday filed a formal complaint before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), seeking a probe into the production and online dissemination of two videos featuring self-proclaimed witness Michael Maurillo, who she claimed may have been kidnapped and is possibly in grave danger.
In the viral videos, Maurillo alleged he was paid by Hontiveros to testify not only against fugitive church leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy but also against former president Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte.
The senator flatly denied the accusations and denounced the videos as fabricated. She called them part of a larger, orchestrated disinformation campaign meant to discredit her office and the Senate.
“This is just the first step,” said Hontiveros, who filed the complaint accompanied by her legal team. “Our complaint aims to identify who produced the videos and who are amplifying the lies online.”
The complaint names at least a dozen individuals and online entities allegedly involved in spreading the videos, including pro-administration bloggers Krizette Chu, Jay Sonza, Sass Rogando Sasot, Trixie Cruz-Angeles, and Banat By. Also cited is a newly created Facebook page called Pagtanggol Valiente, which emerged on 24 June — a day after Maurillo’s last known messages were sent to her office.
The primary allegation listed in the complaint is cyber libel, though Hontiveros said additional charges could follow as the investigation unfolds.
While she acknowledged that public officials must be open to criticism, the senator said she would never accept “deliberate lies — especially those that intimidate witnesses and discredit institutions.”
She added that unnamed public officials, including senators, are also listed in the complaint, although she did not publicly identify them.
Hontiveros said there are currently no planned Senate inquiries on the issue, but added that the 20th Congress is open to continuing earlier efforts to investigate fake news — an initiative first pushed by former Senator Koko Pimentel in the 18th Congress.
The senator also disclosed that Maurillo had sent frantic messages to her office on 22 and 23 June, claiming he was kidnapped by members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) and held at Glory Mountain in Davao City.
“Imagine, that was just over a week ago. He asked for rescue,” Hontiveros said. “The next thing we know, these dubious videos appear.”
Her office referred the messages to the Philippine National Police in Davao, which acknowledged the alert. However, no confirmed updates on Maurillo’s whereabouts had been provided as of Wednesday.
“If he was indeed kidnapped and is in danger, the PNP must act swiftly to secure him,” the senator said. “He can then assist in the NBI investigation and help uncover the forces behind this fake news, witness tampering, and psychological warfare.”
Hontiveros clarified that while lawmakers are not mandated to conduct rescue operations, she hopes law enforcement agencies will respond with urgency.
“This is not just about me,” she said. “This is about protecting witnesses, our staff, and the truth.”