Senate Committee Issues Show-Cause Order to Meta Philippines over Absence in Online Gambling Inquiry

The Senate Committee on Games and Amusement has issued a show-cause order against Meta Philippines executives following their failure to attend a scheduled continuation of the inquiry into illegal online gambling activities on social media. The hearing, which took place on Tuesday, aimed to address the migration of unlawful gambling from e-wallet applications to platforms owned by Meta, including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Threads.

Facebook Philippines representative Genixon David informed the committee in a letter that their specialists would not be present at the hearing, proposing instead to arrange a meeting at a later date agreeable to both parties. This move was met with strong disapproval from Senator Erwin Tulfo, committee chairperson, who emphasized the importance of urgent dialogue.

"No. Why are they dictating this committee when they can attend? If needed, we will subpoena their country representative. It is not an excuse to appear only at their own time," Tulfo stated firmly, highlighting the critical role Meta must play given the shift of illegal gambling operations onto their platforms.

Supporting Tulfo’s stance, Senator Risa Hontiveros formally requested the issuance of the show-cause order against Meta’s representatives for their non-compliance and absence from the inquiry.

Tulfo responded, "That's what we're going to do, to issue a show-cause order and consider subpoenaing them for not attending and for failing to cooperate with our request. This is a hearing focused on a national issue, not just confined to Metro Manila. Approximately 65% of Filipinos are engaged in online gambling, and we are working to find solutions."

During the session, Ronald Gustilo, national campaigner for the civic group Digital Pinoys, revealed that illicit gambling websites are still active through backup links shared in Facebook groups and messaging applications such as Telegram and Signal.

Reacting to Meta’s absence and refusal to attend, Tulfo criticized the company’s resistance, saying, "That’s exactly what I’ve been saying. I invited Meta, but they refused to show up. This might be the most outrageous case, yet they continue to be stubborn and insist on controlling the terms, preferring to meet privately."

The committee’s firm stance signals escalating efforts to hold social media platforms accountable for their involvement in curbing illegal online gambling activities within the country.