Blogger Dayao a no-show at Senate fake news probe

FILE: Last October, Poe said that she would summon Dayao to attend the next hearing. (PRIB Photo by Alexis Nueva España, 30 January 2018)

MANILA — Former consultant for the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) during the Aquino administration Edward Angelo “Cocoy” Dayao failed to show up again during the second Senate hearing on fake news Tuesday.

During the first Senate hearing on fake news, blogger RJ Nieto claimed that Dayao ran the controversial Silent No More (SNM) PH blog which had been described in reports as aligned with the Liberal Party.

SNM is the same site that published an article calling seven senators “Malacanang Dogs” for not signing a resolution urging the government to end the killings of minors.

Last October, Poe said that she would summon Dayao to attend the next hearing.

“Is Cocoy Dayao here for the record? No. This is quite sad. You can dish it but you can’t take it,” Poe said during the second Senate hearing on fake news.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III earlier filed a cyber libel complaint against Dayao before the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office last November 20, 2017.

In his complaint, Sotto claimed Dayao violated Article 353 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Section 4 (c) 4 of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

Sotto cited how an article titled “Malacanang Dogs in the Senate” published in the SNM blog on September 26 “imputed malicious acts and statements against several members of the Senate.”

He claimed that Dayao left the country four days after the first hearing on fake news.

Poe told reporters that she would issue a subpoena against Dayao. (PNA)