The House Tri-Committee cited four social media influencers in contempt during its fourth hearing on Tuesday, April 8.
Surigao del Sur 2nd District Representative and the Committee Presiding Officer, Johnny Pimentel, mentioned that only eight out of the 11 personalities who were subpoenaed appeared before the Committee.
Moreover, the three personalities who failed to appear before the Committee’s hearing this week are:
- Sass Rogando Sasot
- Lorraine Badoy
- Jeffrey Celiz
Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano pointed out that Sasot presented the same reasons in a letter for failing to attend the hearing. He then moved to cite Sasot in contempt for the violation of Section 11, paragraph (a), for her refusal to answer summons without legal excuse.
He also moved for Celiz to be cited in contempt and said that he had received information that Celiz had already left the country and moved that the latter be cited in contempt.
“Before that Mr Chairman, I have some information that Mr Celiz has left the country abroad. Once again, Mr Chairman, I respectfully move that we will direct the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to the status of Mr Celiz,” Paduano said.
Meanwhile, the lawmaker said that Badoy is now in Hong Kong, presenting her travel schedule and ticket. The Committee will ask the BI for Badoy’s travel record, after she was cited in contempt.
According to the report by RH 12 Milky Rigonan, the three individuals are to be arrested and detained at the House detention facility until the Committee finalizes its hearing on fake news.
Meanwhile, the vlogger Mark Anthony Lopez was also cited in contempt due to the malicious post against the Tri-Committee after its third hearing in March.
