Barbers asks NBI to go after vloggers organized, paid to malign, spread lies against Quadcomm

While the Lower House’s Quad Committee welcomes even the harshest criticisms in doing its job, it does not and cannot tolerate vloggers who bend the truth, concoct lies and post them in YouTube, TikTok and other social media platforms aimed to malign and discredit Quad panel co-chairs and members.  

It is for these reasons that a lawmaker from Mindanao requested the National Bureau of Investigation to identify, investigate and file charges against reportedly illegal drugs and POGO-funded vloggers for spreading lies, malicious and libelous vlogs they post in the social media.  

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, Quadcom lead chair and chairman of the House Dangerous Drugs panel, wrote and told NBI chief Atty. Jaime B. Santiago that the deliberate disinformation drive by the seemingly organized vloggers not only damages the integrity of public service, but also foster an environment of confusion, distrust and deception of public perception. 

In a letter to the NBI dated Nov. 25, 2024, Barbers asked Santiago to help Quadcom to investigate and determine the identity of the persons or groups responsible for creating and posting these damaging and misleading vlogs; secure and preserve all digital evidence related to the vlog, including metadata, upload details and related activity logs.

Barbers also submitted to the NBI pieces of evidence on several malicious vlogs sourced from various social media platforms, including a derogatory vlog which originated from his province and picked up by Manila-based mercenary vloggers, linking him and his brother, Surigao del Norte Gov. Lyndon Barbers to illegal drugs. 

“Very obvious na well-organized at bayaran ang mga vloggers na ito na gustong sirain ang pangalan ko, ng kapatid ko, at mga Quadcom members. Sabi nila, ito yung mga bayarang grupo ng tagapagkalat ng kasinungalingan. Siguro nasasaktan na ang kanilang mga employers na POGO operators at drug lords dahil sa patuloy na Quadcom investigations,” he said.  

Once the identity of subjects and their respective vlogs have been established, the lawmaker from Surigao del Norte urged Santiago to pursue appropriate criminal charges against the responsible party in accordance with Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. 

“Subject to the appreciation of your good office, these charges may include the crimes of Libel (Art. 353 RPC), Sedition (Art. 139 RPC), Conspiracy to Commit Sedition (Art. 142 of RPC), Incriminating Innocent Person Act (Art. 363 RPC) and Intriguing Against Honor (Art. 364 RPC) – all in relation to Sec. 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act,” Barbers said. 

He said he trusts the NBI’s Cybercrime Division’s expertise and commitment to addressing cyber-related offenses, especially those that aim to disrupt and discredit lawful and transparent public processes. 

With the NBI’s immediate attention and intervention, Barbers said he is confident that justice will be served and the integrity of Quadcom and its members will be protected and upheld. 

The main difference between bloggers and vloggers is that bloggers create written contents such as articles, tutorials, or stories while vloggers create and record video contents and post them to the various social media platforms, particularly YouTube and TikTok.

The Quadcom is composed of the Committees on Dangerous Drugs chaired by Barbers; Public Order and Safety chaired by Sta. Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez; Public Accounts chaired by Abang Lingkod Partylist Rep. Stephen Joseph Paduano and Human Rights chaired by Manila Rep. Benny Abante. 

The panel was created to investigate, in aid of legislation, the criminal activities of POGOs, illegal drugs and extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration.