TULFO-LED PANEL ISSUES SHOW-CAUSE ORDER VS. META–FACEBOOK FOR SKIPPING ONLINE GAMBLING PROBE

THE Senate Committee on Games and Amusement, led by Sen. Erwin Tulfo has ordered the issuance of a show-cause order to Meta-Facebook Philippines executive for skipping the continuation of the inquiry on online gambling.

In a letter to Tulfo, Facebook Philippines Representative Genixon David informed the committee that their experts won’t be able attend the public hearing on Tuesday. Instead, they proposed a meeting with the senator in a time suitable to both parties.

This did not sit well with the chairman of the Senate committee as he explained the importance of discussing this issue with Facebook representatives following the shift of some online betting and gambling sites from e-wallet applications to various social media platforms.

“No. Why are they dictating this committee, kung kelan sila attend? Kung kailangan i-subpoena sila, i-subpoena ‘yung country representative nila. That’s not an excuse na in their own time,” a vividly disappointed Tulfo said.

“Inalis na nga natin dito sa mga e-wallets, doon na napunta sa kanila. And then may mga links sila doon na pwede ka magsugal and then they don’t want to attend?” he went on.

Senator Risa Hontiveros agreed with Tulfo and formally moved for the issuance of a show-cause order against the representatives of Meta–which owns and operates social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Threads.

“That’s what we’re going to do, to issue a showcase order why they should not be subpoenaed for not attending and for not complying with our request to attend,” Tulfo said.

“This is a hearing. We have a problem here and this is a national problem. Hindi po ito problem lang sa Metro Manila. Imagine, there’s like 65% of Filipinos who are hooked in online gambling and that’s what we’re trying to find a solution right now,” he added.

During the hearing, Ronald Gustilo, national campaigner of Digital Pinoys civic group, revealed before the committee that there are back-up links of illegal online gambling sites being posted on Facebook groups and other messaging applications like Telegram and Signal.

“Yan na nga ang sinasabi ko. Inimbitahan ko ‘yung Meta, ayaw sumipot dito. Ito ang pinaka-kolokoy yata sa lahat tapos ayaw pa sumipot dito. Kita mo nagmamatigas at gusto niya at his own terms. Kailangan kausapin siya mag-isa,” Tulfo said.