House leaders renewed calls to curb the spread of fake news, warning that misinformation undermines efforts to address real national concerns, including rising electricity costs.
Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III urged the public to reject false information, stressing that disinformation hampers solutions to the country’s pressing issues.
“Sa mga nagtatanim ng pagdududa sa isip ng taumbayan, nakikiusap kami na itigil ninyo na ang pagpapakalat ng fake news dahil hindi ito nakakatulong sa pagresolba sa mga problema ng ating bayan,” Dy said during the resumption of House sessions.
He emphasized that the House remains focused on its mandate, guided by accountability, transparency, and service to the Filipino people.
“Wala po kaming ibang hangarin kundi makapaglingkod, at gawin ang aming mga responsibilidad dito sa Kamara,” he said.
Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon echoed the call and expressed support for efforts to combat disinformation, saying the issue should be addressed through concrete action.
Ridon, chair of the House committee on public accounts, said the first step should be to investigate alleged disinformation operations linked to Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN), particularly content involving electricity bills.
He noted that while rising power costs are a legitimate concern that requires government action, including proposals to remove VAT and other taxes, misleading content exploits public frustration.
Ridon pointed to a viral video that showed different Meralco Customer Account Numbers (CANs): CAN 2209188031 for an October 6, 2025 bill amounting to P724.47, and CAN 0494824258 for a May 7, 2026 bill amounting to P7,009.64.
He said PGMN and the individual in the video should clarify whether the bills refer to the same household.
“Without such clarification, this appears to be fake news and, worse, public disinformation,” Ridon said.
He also urged agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to scrutinize the group’s activities, and called on the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to review its compliance with tax laws.
Ridon said he will file a House resolution within the week to formally initiate an inquiry.