Senator Revilla to Pursue Cyberlibel Cases Against Fake News Spreaders
Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. announced plans to file multiple cyberlibel cases against individuals responsible for spreading false information about him during the 2025 election season. According to sources familiar with the matter, the senator believes that these malicious rumors significantly hurt his standing in the senatorial race.
In a recent press briefing, the senator’s legal counsel revealed that despite Revilla’s acquittal in 2018 and 2021 from plunder and graft charges linked to the alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), misleading posts resurfaced online. These posts falsely claimed that the Sandiganbayan had convicted Revilla and ordered him to return ₱124.5 million.
“This is a vicious lie, with the clear and malevolent intent to damage Senator Revilla’s good name and reputation,” the legal team said. “Senator Revilla has had no pending case in any court of law since his acquittal.”
Legal Actions Targeting Cyberlibel and False Claims
After consulting with his family, the senator decided to take legal action to hold accountable those who misuse digital platforms to spread disinformation while hiding behind anonymity. Reports indicate that names of suspects are being vetted and will be submitted to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for identification, focusing on users hiding behind pseudonyms.
The legal counsel emphasized that with cooperation from social media platforms and other online agencies, these individuals will be traced and their real identities revealed. An example of a viral post was presented, which spliced a genuine quote supporting the death penalty for plunderers with a fabricated statement: “Pero di ko pa rin isasauli ang ₱124 million. Manigas kayo (But I still won’t return the ₱124 million. Deal with it).”
“There is nothing in the Sandiganbayan decision requiring Senator Revilla to return any amount,” the legal team clarified. “Phrases like ‘manigas kayo’ paint an unfair and arrogant image of the senator, which is entirely untrue.”
Impact of Fake News on Senator Revilla’s Election Performance
Senator Revilla, who finished 14th in the 2025 senatorial polls, believes the spread of fake news played a major role in his lower ranking. He previously placed in the top two in earlier elections and 11th in 2019, during the peak of his legal challenges.
“Despite being cleared of all charges, fake news continued to circulate during this election season,” sources said. They added that the wide reach of these false claims could easily cost a candidate millions of votes.
The senator’s legal team is preparing to file five to ten cyberlibel complaints against social media users, vloggers, and website administrators responsible for spreading these falsehoods. “We will identify those most responsible and send the evidence to the NBI within the week. Formal cases will follow within one to two weeks,” the legal counsel confirmed.
Debate Over Coordination Behind Fake News Campaign
When asked if these attacks appeared coordinated, the legal team denied signs of an organized effort or ties to any political camp. “At least based on our review of the profiles, it does not appear to be organized,” they stated.
However, Senator Revilla expressed a different view. “Sa aking palagay, yes, orchestrated ito (In my opinion, yes, this is orchestrated),” he said. He added, “Kung anong kulay, ayoko nang alamin siguro that’s part of politics, kasama yan sa labanan ng eleksyon. Pero ang di maganda dito ay ang fake news. Hindi dapat palagpasin.”
Revilla acknowledged that he has long been used to political attacks but emphasized that deliberately misleading the public with falsehoods is unacceptable. “This time, I will not allow it again,” he declared.
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