Members of the House prosecution panel handling the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte said they are preparing not only for legal battles inside the Senate impeachment court but also for what they described as a growing wave of fake news and online disinformation surrounding the proceedings.
During a press conference, one solon said the prosecution team intends to actively counter false narratives and misleading claims expected to circulate during the impeachment trial.
“One of the biggest challenges that we face is fake news, trolls na mali ang ikinakalat, maling ebidensiya ang binabarena sa utak ng ating mga kababayan,” Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor said.
“Ang mga fake news at trolls dapat matigil na mga yan,” he added.
According to him, the impeachment proceedings are not only about determining accountability but also about protecting truth and factual public discourse amid the spread of misinformation online.
He warned that disinformation campaigns could undermine public understanding of the issues surrounding the impeachment case if left unchallenged.
“This impeachment is one of the biggest steps that we can take for accountability to start in this country,” the Iloilo solon said.
“Pero dapat ma-overcome din natin ang fake news dahil hindi natin maaabot ang katotohanan, hindi lang sa impeachment na ito but truth in everyday living kung hindi natin ma-overcome ang fake news at mga trolls na umaatake, hindi lang sa House of Representatives but to truth itself,” he added.
The House prosecution panel is led by Batangas Representative and House Justice Committee chair Gerville Luistro.
Also part of the prosecution team are Representatives Terry Ridon, Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, Ysabel Zamora, Chel Diokno, Leila de Lima, Kaka Bag-ao, Jonathan Keith Flores, Lordan Suan, and Joel Chua.
The Senate earlier convened as an impeachment court to hear the case against Duterte, who faces allegations involving misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, and threats against top government officials.