Blogger to name more people behind ‘Silent No More PH’ page, seeks immunity

A blogger on Wednesday sought "blanket immunity" from the Senate public information committee and asked for an executive session before revealing names of people allegedly behind the "Silent No More PH" Facebook page.

“Kaya ko po ibigay kung may blanket immunity ako. I don’t want to be held liable for information that may be disclosed,” Rey Joseph Nieto, the person behind the blog Thinking Pinoy, told senators during the committee's hearing on fake news.

In a blog post, Nieto had tagged a certain Edwar Angelo "Cocoy" Dayao, an alleged former Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) consultant, as behind the “Silent No More PH” page.

He said he is willing to divulge more names behind the page.

Last week, several senators from the majority bloc cried foul for being targeted by the Silent No More PH page when it was supposedly made to appear that they purposely did not sign the Senate resolution urging the Duterte administration to address the spate of senseless killings, especially of children.

The seven senators who did not sign the resolution are Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, Majority Leader Vicente Sotto, Richard Gordon, Gringo Honasan, Manny Pacquiao, Cynthia Villar, and Miguel Zubiri.

Dayao was a no-show at the Senate hearing despite being invited by the committee.

Senator Grace Poe, chair of the panel, said Dayao may be subpoenaed if there will be a next hearing on the issue.

“It’s so ironic that [he runs] Silent No More but he’s so silent now,” Poe said.

According to Nieto, Dayao worked for the PCOO during the Aquino administration. He said Dayao is the webmaster of Silent No More PH and another page, ProPinoy.

Nieto further said that ProPinoy was co-founded by a certain “Niña Terol. He said Terol previously worked for Senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV.

Pangilinan and Aquino asked Nieto’s basis for asking an executive session.

“I don’t think he’s being cautious at all. He mentioned my name already. Nasan ang caution doon?” Aquino said.

Nieto also appealed to the committee to pass a right-of-reply legislation.

The right-of-reply bill, which has been proposed in previous Congresses, will require media organizations to air or publish the side of those who feel aggrieved by news articles and reports. —ALG, GMA News