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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DOJ junks cyber libel complaints filed by Sen Risa Hontiveros vs Maurillo, six vloggers

DOJ junks cyber libel complaints filed by Sen Risa Hontiveros vs Maurillo, six vloggers

Published Feb 5, 2026 07:50 pm
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has dismissed the cyber libel complaints filed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros against former Senate witness Michael Maurillo and six vloggers on allegations that she forced persons to testify against Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy.
“The panel finds no prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction to indict any of the respondents for the crime charged,” stated the 26-page resolution issued by a panel of prosecutors.
With the ruling, the DOJ dismissed the cyber libel charges against Maurillo, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, Byron Cristobal alias Banat By, Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celiz, Krizette Chu, Jose “Jay” Sonza, and Alex Destor alias Tio Moreno.
The charges arose from the video that was posted in social media in July 2025 which showed Maurillo who, according to Hontiveros in her complaint, “falsely accused me of paying him P1,000,000 to allegedly fabricate testimony against Quiboloy, former President Rodrigo Duterte, and former Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.”
“Mr. Maurillo alleged that his original affidavit was altered by my staff to insert lies about sexual abuse and violence, and that he was offered additional money to implicate Senators Bong Go and Bato dela Rosa,” Hontiveros said.
At the same time, Hontiveros alleged that “Mr. Maurillo likewise indiscriminately named members of my staff and identified other witnesses involved in the Senate investigation, violating their right to privacy and recklessly endangering their safety.”
However, the DOJ said that “in this case, actual malice was not proven.”
It also said: “It was not established that the defamatory statements were made with knowledge that the statements were false or with reckless disregard as to whether or not they were true.”
It reminded that the Supreme Court (SC) has already remarked that “being ‘sensitive’ has no place in this line of public service, more so when allowing otherwise has the potential to create a chilling effect on the public.”
In their online video and written commentaries, the DOJ said “the respondents expressed their opinions against complainant Hontiveros-Baraquel in relation to the video released by Maurillo, a witness presented during a Senate investigation on Quiboloy and the human trafficking, sexual abuse, and exploitation in the KOJC.”
“They also made other imputations against her in relation to the exercise of her official duties as a senator, specifically with respect to her conduct of Senate inquiries,” it said.
However, the DOJ pointed out that “these matters were already the subject of previously published news reports.”
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