NBI urged to probe vloggers funded by Pogos, drug traders

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Barbers. PHOTO BY NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers has urged the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe and file complaints against vloggers allegedly “funded by” illegal drug traders and Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) “to spread lies.”

According to Barbers, the House of Representatives quad committee that he leads is open to criticisms but it will not tolerate “vloggers who bend the truth” and post them on their social media pages to “malign and discredit” its members.

The lawmaker on Sunday said he wrote to NBI chief Jaime Santiago, saying these vloggers will “not only damage the integrity of public service, but also foster an environment of confusion, distrust and deception of public perception.”

Citing his letter dated November 25, Barbers said he specifically asked the NBI to help the panel he leads to “investigate and determine the identity of the persons or groups responsible for creating and posting such damaging and misleading vlogs; secure and preserve all digital evidence related to the vlog, including metadata, upload details, and related activity logs.”

“It is very obvious that these vloggers who want to destroy my name, my brother’s, and quadcom members are well-organized and paid. They said these are the paid groups tasked to spread lies. Maybe their employers, the Pogo operators and drug lords, are hurting because of the ongoing quadcom investigations,” he said in Filipino.

Barbers also revealed that he also submitted to the NBI evidence of several malicious vlogs linking him and his brother Surigao del Norte Gov. Lyndon Barbers to illegal drugs.

“Once the identity of subjects and their respective vlogs have been established…Santiago [should] pursue appropriate criminal charges against the responsible party in accordance with the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012,” Barbers’ statement read.

“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,” he added.

Last month, Barbers laughed off rumors circulating on social media linking him to the illegal drug trade, noting that it was only now — after decades of fighting this social menace — that he was tagged as a drug lord.