Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon has formally filed House Resolution No. 980, calling for a comprehensive congressional inquiry into the alleged organized disinformation campaigns orchestrated by the Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN).
The resolution aligns with the recent appeal by House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III for lawmakers to confront the proliferation of “fake news” that undermines national stability.
Ridon, however, emphasized that the investigation must scrutinize the structural and financial mechanisms enabling these operations.
“This is in full support of the Speaker’s fight against fake news—but we must go beyond content and examine the operations behind it, including how these are funded and whether they are compliant with tax laws,” Ridon stated.
MISLEADING CONTENT AND TAX CONCERNS
The inquiry specifically targets viral content produced by PGMN that allegedly misrepresented a sharp spike in electricity costs.
According to the resolution, a video showcased a consumer’s bill jumping from ₱700 to ₱7,000, yet a closer inspection revealed that the bills featured different Customer Account Numbers (CANs), suggesting a deliberate attempt to deceive the public.
Beyond the content itself, Ridon raised the possibility of fiscal irregularities, questioning whether the revenue generated from such viral, monetized content is being properly declared to the authorities.
“If these disinformation operations are monetized—and there are strong indications that they are—then the question is simple: are they properly declared, taxed, and regulated? Otherwise, this raises serious concerns of tax evasion,” he noted.
PROTECTING PUBLIC PERCEPTION
Ridon argued that while rising utility costs are a legitimate grievance for Filipino families, exploiting these frustrations through fabricated data is both irresponsible and deceptive.
He warned that such activities appear to be part of a systematic effort to manipulate public sentiment on critical national issues.
“We will not allow legitimate public concerns to be weaponized by disinformation networks,” Ridon added. “This is about protecting the public—not only from fake news, but from coordinated operations that exploit real issues for influence, profit, or manipulation.”
The resolution urges the House Committee on Public Information to collaborate with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to determine if PGMN and its affiliated entities have violated laws regarding unlawful business practices and tax compliance.