DOJ seeks YouTube help in Kiko cyberlibel complaint

MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) asked video-sharing and social media platform YouTube to preserve data of an account named in a cyberlibel complaint filed by vice-presidential candidate, Senator Francis Pangilinan.

Pangilinan said the “Maharlika” account has been posting a series of videos attacking him and his family since May 21, 2021.

The DOJ said since the suspect has been identified, Pangilinan can file directly with the National Prosecution Service, forgoing the need for an investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation.

“We already requested YouTube to preserve all data pertaining to the subject account complained,” DOJ Office of Cybercrime Officer-in-Charge, Charito Zamora, told reporters via text message on Tuesday.

“The purpose there is to make sure that the integrity of computer data relating to the account is intact and available in the event that the complainant will pursue with the filing of the case with the prosecution service,” she said, adding that another challenge of the case is that the suspect is based in the United States.

The freelance female blogger listed Beverly Hills, California as location in her Facebook account, Maharlika, which has more than 900,000 followers.

She went live on Tuesday on Maharlika YouTube and challenged Pangilinan and his actress wife, Sharon Cuneta, to come to the US instead and sue her there.

Some netizens who sent comments called her “Madam Maharlika” or “Miss Maharlika”.

The YouTube account has 433,000 followers while a second account, Maharlika Channel, has 21,900 followers.

The accounts also have a link to the website, https://www.maharlika.news/.