A heated exchange erupted in a House committee hearing on Friday when Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante reprimanded vlogger Mary Jean Quiambao Reyes for her claims that extrajudicial killings under former President Rodrigo Duterte were a “massive hoax.”
Abante, who chairs the House human rights committee, questioned Reyes on the basis of her statement. Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano backed him, pointing out that Reyes had no documents to support her claim.
“Unless you have documents under oath that families of victims have disputed the data, your statement remains baseless,” Paduano said.
When asked if she had sworn documents to verify her assertion, Reyes admitted she did not. She later apologized, saying, “Next time, I will ensure I have documents under oath before making such statements.”
Abante, visibly frustrated, warned that he would cite Reyes in contempt if she did not retract her claim. He also criticized vloggers who spread misleading information, urging them to base their content on facts.
At one point, Abante’s strong remarks against vloggers were stricken from the House records to maintain decorum.
