Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILABULLETIN)

Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers isn't bothered one bit by the libel cases that certain vloggers have filed against him.

However, Barbers finds intriguing why these online content creators charged him in connection with the "narco-vloggers" issue when he himself never mentioned any particular person. 

The Mindanao solon earlier delivered two privileges in plenary denouncing some alleged narco-vloggers for their disrespect, use of expletives and other abusive words against some members of the House of Representatives' quad-comm and the tri-committee, 

He said the tri-comm in particular have been tasked to craft a law to sanction the abuse and misuse by certain vloggers, who may or may not be funded by money from the illegal drug trade.

“If those who filed the libel cases against me all felt alluded to as narco-vloggers, then it could be seen or interpreted that indeed they were. Bakit kayo masasaktan kung hindi kayo guilty? (Why would it hurt you if you're not guilty?)" Barbers asked. 

“I always abide by the Constitutional provision on free speech and expression, but this cannot and should not be used as a license to besmirch people’s reputations and throw expletives at their subjects, concoct false or fake narratives and propaganda lines. And I firmly believe that they are not doing it for free,” he said. 

Barbers said many of the vloggers who filed the certiorari petition before the Supreme Court (SC) and filed libel cases against him have been summoned to appear before the tri-comm hearings on the fake news peddling online, but almost all of them failed or refused to do so. 

“Malinaw dito na gusto nilang gamitin ang mga korte na fodder o panangga sa kanilang pagpapa-kalat ng kasinungalingan at paninirang puri ng mga tao na kontra o di umaayon sa kanilang mga politikal na adhikain,” he said. 

(Clearly, they just want the courts to shield them from their act of spreading lies and slanderous statements against people who don't share their political views.)

“And common sense dictates that many, if not all, of these particular vloggers are mouthing the same propaganda lines of their principals," he added.

“Ang hindi nila pag-attend ng tri-comm public hearings ay nangangahulugan lang na ang mga ito ay may pagka-duwag at di kayang paninidigan ang kanilang mga pinagsasa-sabi at ikinakalat na mga kasinungalingan at paninirang puri sa social media,” he added. 

(Their non-attendance at the tri-comm public hearings proves their cowardice and lack of affirmation in their remarks especially their lies and attacks on social media.)

Barbers urged the public to always exercise caution and discernment in consuming social media or online contents from sources who are known to be parroting certain lies, deception, misinformation and other political propaganda lines. 

Barbers is the overall chairman of the quad-comm and is an active participant of the tri-comm hearings. 

He has spent the last nine years as chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs.