Senatroll

By Artchil B. Fernandez

From “Crying Lady” to “Spliced Girl” characterizes Sen. Pia Cayetano’s descent into madness. The public unravelling of Pia Cayetano is unexpected. Filipinos are shaking their heads in disbelief as they watch the public breakdown of the once-respected senator. Her latest despicable antic is posting a spliced video to attack a prosecutor in the ongoing impeachment trial of Sara Duterte.

Pia Cayetano posted on Facebook a one-minute video of House prosecutor Rep. Chel Diokno explaining the prosecution’s request for a subpoena of Vice President Sara Duterte’s financial records. This is in support of the accusation that the vice president misdeclared her net worth. The presiding officer of the impeachment court granted the prosecution’s request.

In the spliced video Pia Cayetano posted, it was made to appear that the prosecution was fishing for evidence. The spliced video portrayed the prosecution as accusing Sara Duterte sans evidence. Cayetano’s post omitted the full context of Rep. Chel Diokno’s remarks. The video’s ending caption read: “Are they just taking chances? Lacking evidence, yet already making accusations?”

The spliced video of Pia Cayetano is objectionable for several reasons. First, it is designed to mislead the public by spreading misleading and false information. As explained by Rep. Chel Diokno, the prosecution has already established probable cause for its charges against the vice president. “Probable cause was established in Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) records showing billions that passed through the accounts of the vice president and her spouse. We sought the bank records to verify whether they match the AMLC reports,” Diokno argued in the removed portion of the video. There is malice in Pia Cayetano’s editing of the video.

Aside from spreading falsehoods, the video is an attack on the prosecution. It paints a negative image of the prosecution. The spliced video sought to show the public a picture of the prosecution making accusations without a factual basis. In short, the prosecution has no case against Sara Duterte if the spliced video is to be believed. The doctored video can lead people to conclude that the prosecution is ill-motivated and is not fighting for transparency and accountability. Maligning the prosecution is the malicious intention of Pia Cayetano’s edited video.

The posting of the spliced video by Pia Cayetano is abhorrent because it sought to undermine and damage the impeachment process. Pia Cayetano, as a senator-judge, is expected, at least in public, to be impartial and neutral during the impeachment trial. Before making any conclusion, a senator-judge must weigh and evaluate all the evidence and listen to the entirety of the case. By attacking the prosecution, Pia Cayetano has exposed her leaning and bias. A senator-judge who publicly displays her partiality erodes the credibility and integrity of the impeachment process. Perhaps this is the primary goal of Pia Cayetano — to raze the impeachment proceedings and help Sara Duterte escape accountability. Clearly, this is a brazen betrayal of her oath as senator-judge.

By posting the spliced video, Pia Cayetano is not only trying to sabotage the impeachment trial of Sara Duterte, but she also risks being placed under disciplinary proceedings under the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA). “A lawyer shall uphold the dignity of the legal profession in all social media interactions in a manner that enhances the people’s confidence in the legal system, as well as promote its responsible use,” the CPRA states. Section 36 admonishes lawyers to be responsible in using social media. “A lawyer shall have the duty to understand the benefits, risks, and ethical implications associated with the use of social media.”

Section 38 of the CPRA is clear on the non-posting of false or unverified statements or disinformation: “A lawyer shall not knowingly or maliciously post, share, upload, or otherwise disseminate false or unverified statements, claims, or commit any other act of disinformation.” Pia Cayetano’s posting of the spliced video is a distortion of the truth.

Despite the dangers, Pia Cayetano, without shame or regard for propriety, continues to publicly display her unsavoury and unpalatable behaviour. She is no longer an honourable senator of the country but has become a senatroll. Her actions have even upstaged the defense lawyers of Sara Duterte. The defense team so far has not stooped to the level to which Pia Cayetano has fallen. The defense team has not resorted to dirty tricks by publicly attacking or smearing the prosecution. She has outdone and outshone Sara Duterte’s defense team.

The devotion — nay, fanaticism — of Pia Cayetano to the cause of Sara Duterte is astounding, exposing her for who and what she is. A year ago, Pia Cayetano was singing the praises of the administration as part of the ruling coalition. She ran and won as senator in the 2025 election under the banner of the present administration. Her sudden transformation into a virulent opponent of the administration is fascinating.

Pia Cayetano’s political meltdown, her downgrade from senator to troll, is an indication of a deep-seated emotional scar brought about by frustration or desperation. She took a huge risk by jumping to the camp of the Dutertes for power and perks. But the gamble failed, with their reign in the Senate not lasting even a month. Suddenly, Pia Cayetano was out of power, with all the perks of power crumbling before her eyes. She is devastated. Her trolling, lashing, trashing, and clawing at those whom she blames for her misery are merely expressions of her inability to accept or reconcile herself with reality. Deep inside, she hates herself for making a disastrous miscalculation. Her senseless anger at others is just a projection to hide the truth that she cannot forgive herself for making a costly political mistake.

Senatroll is in need of mental health support. She will only worsen unless proper emotional and psychological intervention is provided.