Senator Risa Hontiveros has filed cyber libel complaints against the former Senate probe witness who recently accused her of bribery and fabricating testimonies against televangelist Apollo Quiboloy, former President Rodrigo Duterte, and Vice President Sara Duterte, as well as the internet personalities who have spread his new statements.
Aside from calling to account those responsible for the libelous claims, Hontiveros filed the complaint before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to uncover the persons behind the first video posted to the “Pagtanggol Valiente” Facebook and YouTube pages.
“Pangunahing layunin ng reklamo: alamin sino o sino-sino ang nasa likod ng pag-produce ng video, dalawang video na, ni Michael Maurillo, dahil hanggang ngayon, wala pa ring umaamin, wala pa ring umaangkin,” she told reporters at the NBI office.
(The primary aim of the complaint: to discover who produced the video—two videos now, of Michael Maurillo’s—as until now no one is confessing to doing it.)
Hontiveros mentioned among the reasons for the complaint that 12 social media influencers had “aggravated” the damage caused by the defamatory video by sharing it via their own pages, naming Trixie Cruz-Angeles and Ahmed Paglinawan; Krizette “Kiffy” Chu; Rob Rances; Sass Rogando Sasot; Aeron Peña, known as “Old School Pinoy;” Jay Sonza; Banat By 2.0; and more.
“So far, isang dosena ang kinasuhan. Pero maaaring madagdagan pa ‘yan batay sa imbestigasyon ng NBI (So far, we have filed charges against a dozen people. But more could be added to that number, depending on the NBI’s investigation),” Hontiveros said.
She specified she was suing for the crime of libel under Article 355 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Section 4(c)(4) of the Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The complaint stems from a video wherein Michael Maurillo, formerly known only by his alias “Rene,” retracted his initial allegations against Quiboloy, claiming Hontiveros had paid him ₱1 million in financial assistance to “take (the pastor) down.”
“Binayaran po ako ni Sen. Risa Hontiveros para mag-testify laban kay PRRD, VP Sara, at kay Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy. Lahat ng sinabi ko, at mga kasama ko doon na nag-witness sa Senado ay ginawa lamang ni Sen. Risa upang pabagsakin si Pastor at ang buong Kingdom at kunin ang kanilang mga ari-arian,” Maurillo said, adding he was presently being hunted and threatened by the senator.
Furthermore, he claimed that his original affidavit was modified by Hontiveros’ staff to “insert lies” about having been sexually and physically abused. He also said he was offered more money to implicate Senator Christopher “Bong” Go and Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
However, Hontiveros claims in the complaint submitted to the NBI that on December 14, her office received an “unsolicited” email from Maurillo, beginning a correspondence centered on his experiences as a former member of Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC).
“In the email dated 14 December 2023, Mr. Maurillo introduced himself as a former full-time worker of KOJC, claiming he had escaped in 2021 after suffering abuse and exploitation under Quiboloy. Mr. Maurillo expressed a strong desire to attain justice and testify in the Senate investigation into the widespread reports of trafficking, rape, and child abuse within the KOJC,” the complaint read.
Hontiveros disclosed that Maurillo contacted a member of her staff on June 22 and 23, begging to be rescued. He claimed to have been kidnapped.
“Kung kinidnap talaga si Michael Maurillo at dahil doon ay kung nasa matinding panganib siya ngayon, all the more sana ay mapasakamay na siya ng PNP (Philippine National Police) para sa mailigtas sa anumang panganib na maaaring pinaglalagyan, at para din puwede siyang ma-imbestiga ng NBI batay dito sa reklamo ko at maging bahagi siya ng pagbuo ng kuwento,” Hontiveros said.
(If Michael Maurillo has really been kidnapped, and because of that, he is in grave danger, all the more do I hope that the PNP will be able to rescue him and save him from any danger he may be in, and so the NBI can investigate the complaint I have raised and he can be part of completing the story.)
