Hontiveros hits back, files libel raps vs Quiboloy witness, vloggers

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros has filed cyber libel complaints against Michael Maurillo, a former Senate witness in the probe against detained preacher Apollo Quiboloy, after he publicly claimed that the senator paid and coerced him to testify.

The libel complaints, filed under the Anti-Cybercrime Prevention Act, were submitted to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday, July 2.

"Batay sa payon ng aking mga abogado, cyber libel ang appropriate na ireklamo dito. Sabihin ko po sa inyo bilang isang nagtatrabaho sa public service, bukas ako lagi at dapat lang bukas lagi sa mga puna, sa mga kritisismo," Hontiveros said in an ambush interview with reporters.

(Based on the advice of my lawyers, cyber libel is the appropriate complaint here. I want to tell you, as someone working in public service, I am always open, and should always be open, to comments, to criticisms.)

"Pero hinding-hindi ako papayag sa ganitong mga pagsisinungaling, mga mapapanganib na pagsisinungaling. Lalo na ang tinarget ay hindi lang ako. Ang tinarget ay mga witnesses, ang tinarget pati mga staff ko, tinarget ang Senado mismo," she added.

(But I will never agree to such lies, dangerous lies. Especially since the target was not just me. The targets were witnesses, even my staff were targeted, the Senate itself was targeted.)

Viral video accusations. Maurillo, who went by the alias "Rene" during the Senate hearings, released a video on June 24 alleging that Hontiveros gave him P1 million to falsely testify against Quiboloy. He also claimed he was pressured to implicate former President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte, who now faces impeachment.

In addition to filing charges against Maurillo, Hontiveros requested the NBI to investigate the origins of the video and determine who produced it, as no one has publicly taken responsibility. She also filed charges against the Facebook page that originally posted the video.

Vloggers named. The senator’s complaint includes a request to probe several online personalities who allegedly helped disseminate the video and its claims. Among those named are Krizette Chu, Jay Sonza, Sass Sasot, Trixie Cruz Angeles, and Banat By.

"Ang tinarget ay hindi lang ako. Ang tinarget ay mga witnesses, ang tinarget pati mga staff ko, tinarget ang Senado mismo," Hontiveros said.

From witness to accuser. Hontiveros maintained that it was Maurillo who approached her office seeking help. She said he initially described himself as a victim of Quiboloy’s church, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. A week before the video was released, Maurillo reportedly told her office that he had been kidnapped.

"Hanggang ngayon at feed-forward namin agad sa PNP ang mga messages na iyon... Kaya lang habang kinikilusan ang kanyang mga mensahe noon ay lumabas na itong video," she added.