No SC ruling, arrest warrant for Hontiveros

The movies falsely declare that Senator Risa Hontiveros was arrested, whereas their content material discusses totally completely different matters

Declare: Senator Risa Hontiveros has been arrested by order of the court docket.

Ranking: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: Two YouTube movies bearing the declare have been uploaded on February 7.

The primary video was uploaded by PINAS BALITA TV and titled, “Nakarma na! Hontiveros wala nang takas! Korte Suprema sinampolan na si Risa, sinupalpal ng katotohanan?”

(It’s over! Hontiveros has no escape! The Supreme Court docket made an instance of Risa, confronted by the reality?)

Its thumbnail reveals a photograph of Supreme Court docket Justice Marvic Leonen holding what seems to be a court docket resolution, together with images of Hontiveros and different political figures. 

The second video was uploaded by the channel “Information Replace Recordsdata” and is titled, “Traydoran na! Risa Hontiveros kulong na! Nilaglag ni Tito Sotto! Hinatulan na, kriminal pala?”

(Betrayal! Risa Hontiveros jailed! Uncovered by Tito Sotto! Convicted as a prison?) 

This video prominently contains a thumbnail with the textual content: “Kriminal si Hontiveros! Risa Hontiveros hinatulan na!” (Hontiveros is a prison! Risa Hontiveros has been convicted!) It additionally reveals a picture of Senate President Tito Sotto holding a purported arrest warrant for Hontiveros. 

As of writing, each movies have garnered over 55,000 views and 4,700 likes.

The information: Hontiveros has not been arrested, jailed, or convicted of any crime. No Supreme Court docket ruling in opposition to her exists, and no arrest warrant has been issued, opposite to the declare. She continues to function a senator.

The deceptive declare seems to stem from a February 5 Division of Justice (DOJ) decision that was falsely introduced as a conviction in opposition to her. 

In a decision dated December 22, 2025, the DOJ dismissed a cyberlibel grievance Hontiveros filed in opposition to social media personalities Banat By and 6 others. The grievance stemmed from the respondents’ on-line movies and commentaries that allegedly amplified claims that the senator bribed a Senate witness for testimony in opposition to Kingdom of Jesus Christ chief Apollo Quiboloy. 

Prosecutors dominated there was inadequate proof to indict the respondents, noting that their statements, whereas offensive, weren’t actionable by themselves.

The deceptive video from “Information Replace Recordsdata” intentionally distorts the DOJ resolution by suggesting that Hontiveros is going through arrest, slightly than merely a dismissal of her grievance.

The primary video, in the meantime, makes use of clickbait language and sensational content material, tagging Hontiveros in its thumbnail whereas not discussing her alleged arrest. As a substitute, it discusses talks of “energy sharing” within the Senate, which was fueled by a photograph posted by Senator Kiko Pangilinan with the bulk bloc and Senator Loren Legarda. Whereas Hontiveros appeared within the picture, the difficulty centered on Legarda’s potential management bid, not on any prison costs in opposition to Hontiveros.

Faux claims: Rappler has fact-checked a number of claims about Hontiveros, most of which relied on clickbait titles and sensationalized content material. 

– Cyril Bocar/Rappler.com

Efren Cyril Bocar is a journalist from Llorente, Jap Samar who graduated with a level in English Language Research on the Visayas State College. Cyril can be a graduate of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024. 

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