MANILA – Several social media personalities on Friday apologized and admitted some of their faults during the House of Representatives’ hearing on fake news and trolls.

Lawmakers criticized some of their politically-charged posts on social media, which they described as bordering on unverified information.

One of the posts belonged to Krizette Chu, a content creator, about the alleged "mass resignations" in the Philippine National Police after former President Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest.

Chu said this post “was not news” but rather her appreciation of a Tiktok post from several users.

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“The reason I said daw, daw, daw… if it is true, if totoo ito, don’t do it. I didn’t say you can make a distinction between establishing something and if it is true — the announcement that many policemen resigned... I want to predicate what I wrote with the word ‘daw’ for me it was more of an opinion piece based on a general impression,” she said. 

Police Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, denied that there were mass resignations. 

“If the qualification for the word massive, more than normal, there is none. There are regular resignations but it is not connected to this issue,” said Torre. 

Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, for his part, said Chu based her information on “social media rumors.” This, Acidre, he said, is something usually done by showbiz reporters. 

“The ones who publish rumors are showbiz reporters. The article on the resignation and as you can see on the following post, there is no effort to actually verify,” said Acidre.

 ‘STUPID’ GOVERNMENT?

 Lawmakers also quizzed Chu on her post about calling the government “stupid.”

 The content creator defended her post, saying she was “angry” over the beneficiaries who are allegedly misusing the money meant for their welfare.

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 Rep. Bienvenido Abante said she lifted her information “without any documents.”

 “You are going to base your statement sa binabasa mo? And then you are telling me you are a journalist, you are telling me you are speaking the truth? I demand that you apologize to this committee,” said Abante.

 To which Chu replied, “I will apologize for my bad words? I apologize for my bad words. I apologize for saying the word tanga in my post.”

 The lawmaker thanked the social media creator but insisted that she made her followers seem stupid. 

“Ang pinapalagay ni Miss Krizette, yung audience niya mga tanga eh. Yun ang pinapalagay mo, hindi mga gobyerno. Kaya papaniwalaan nila ang sinasabi mo sapagkat ang audience mo mismo ang hindi nakakaintindi. That is fake news and that is what we are investigating right now,” he said. 

EJK A HOAX?

 At least one content creator was grilled for claiming that extrajudicial killings during the time of former President Rodrigo Duterte was a massive hoax.

 “Lahat ng nakalista doon ay confirmed by the human rights commission. Wala doon ang prior or after ng Duterte administration. (JC 1:52) Unless you have document under oath that indeed you have families of victims clarified, dispute the data,” said Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano. 

Mary Jean Quiambao Reyes said she would vet her information next time.

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 “Okay sir next time bago po tayo magsulat ng mga ganon kailangan kumuha po muna tayo ng mga dokumento under oath,” she said.

 With this admission, Rep. Bienvenido Abante said Reyes should apologize to the families of EJK victims.

 “I apologize sir, tulad ng sinabi ko kanina, sa susunod naghahanap na lang po muna ng under oath,” said Reyes.