The empty seats of the social media personalities who no-showed the House tri-comm hearing Tuesday, Feb. 4 (PPAB)

The House tri-committee (tri-comm) issued multiple show cause orders on Tuesday, Feb. 4 against the numerous social media personalities and vloggers who refused to appear in the congressional inquiry on the rampant spread of fake news and disinformation online.

A show cause order is basically a demand for an explanation from the recipient, pending a stronger summon from the House of Representatives such as a subpoena.

Headed by overall chairman Santa Rosa City lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez, the tri-comm issued such orders to former Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) chief-turned-social media commentor Trixie Cruz-Angeles, Elizabeth Joie Cruz (Joie De Vivre online), Mark Anthony Lopez, Jun Abines Jr., Dr. Richard Tesoro Mata, Aaron Peña, Suzanne Batalla (IamShanwein), and Ethel Pineda, among others.

The House Committees on Public Order and Safety, on Information and Communications Technology, and on Public Information comprise the special three-way panel.

Manila 6th Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. moved for the issuance of the order, stating, “I dare [to] make a motion, Mr. Chair, that we issue a show cause order on this Elizabeth Cruz.” The motion was swiftly approved.

Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano then called for another show cause order, this time against Abines, citing the invalidity of his excuse letter.

“With that excuse letter, Mr. Chairman, I found it not valid and I move to issue a show cause order for that Jun,” he declared.

The joint committee also issued a show cause order against Lopez, another social media personality, after he sent a lengthy letter rejecting the invitation and questioning the legal basis of the hearing.

The congressmen later learned that some of these invited resource persons went instead to the Supreme Court (SC) to challenge the legality of the inquiry that same day.

Disbarment rap vs Cruz-Angeles?

The proceedings took a more serious tone when the committee tackled the defiant response of Cruz-Angeles, a lawyer. She outright rejected the invitation, and claimed that the inquiry was unconstitutional.

Lawmakers, particularly Paduano, took offense to Cruz-Angeles’ statement,

"Mr. Chairman, I have two motions. My motion is to issue a show cause order to Atty. Trixie Angeles,” he declared. This was immediately seconded and approved.

In addition to the show cause order, Paduano made a motion to refer Angeles’ case to the House’s Legal Department for a possible disbarment complaint.

“She is an officer of the court… and she should respect the Constitutional duty of Congress. I respectfully move that we will consult the Legal Department of this House for a possible disbarment case against Atty. Trixie Angeles,” he said.

Paduano's motion also ended up being swiftly carried by the tri-comm.

Peña, for his part, denied any ties to POGO operators and drug lords but still refused to attend. His refusal caused Paduano to move for another show cause order, which was once again swiftly approved.

Before wrapping up, the committee tackled the last two absentees, Suzanne Batalla and Ethel Garcia, who also declined their invite without valid justification.

Freedom of speech not curtailed

The prime mover of the inquiry, Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, stressed that there was no curtailment of freedom of speech in the probe, even as he chided the particular vloggers for not even showing up.

"Wala hong curtailment o suppression ng freedom of speech dito. Kaya kayo inimbita dito para magpagpahayag din kayo. Hindi po ba yan ay tama ang freedom of expression?" Barners asked rhetorically.

(There is no curtailment or suppression of the freedom of speech here. You were invited here that you can express yourselves. Isn't that not freedom of expression?)

"Eh, bakt ngayon nagpapadala kayo ng mga sulat na hindi kayo pwede kasi hindi kayo naniniwala sa layunin ng pagdining na ito? Wag po kayo magtago sa mga ganyan," he said.

(So why are you now sending letters saying you cannot join us because you don't believe in the spirit of this hearing? Don't hide behind those things.)

"Ang tatapang niyo, sabi nga ni Congressman Abante (You're very brave, like what Congressman Abante said), in the advent of social media, suddenly Filipinos become political analysts, they become journalists," he noted.

Barbers reiterated that the purpose of the probe was to help Congress craft policies on the proper use of social media platforms.

"Dapat po meron tayong disiplina, meron tayong code of conduct. Meron tayong ethics sa paggamit nitong social media," he said.

(We must have discipline, we must have a code of conduct. There are ethics in using this social media.)