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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Ex-Senate witness Maurillo charged with cyber libel before Pasay City RTC -- DOJ

Ex-Senate witness Maurillo charged with cyber libel before Pasay City RTC -- DOJ

Published Feb 5, 2026 07:50 pm
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a cyber libel case against former Senate witness Michael Maurillo over his statements that Sen. Risa Hontiveros allegedly forced persons to testify against Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy.
Prosecutor General Richard Anthony D. Fadullon said the case was filed before the Pasay City regional trial court (RTC).
Also, Fadullon confirmed that the DOJ dismissed the cyber libel charges filed by Hontiveros against six vloggers -- lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, Byron Cristobal alias Banat By, Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celiz, Krizette Chu, Jose “Jay” Sonza, and Alex Destor alias Tio Moreno.
He said the case was filed against Maurillo after a panel of prosecutors issued a resolution last January that recommended Maurillo’s indictment.
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.”
In their online video and written commentaries, the DOJ said “the respondents (the six vloggers) 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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