January 15, 2026 - Lawmakers Edwin Gardiola and brothers Eric and Edvic Yap have asked the Court of Appeals to issue a gag order against business news site Bilyonaryo.com, after it published details of Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) freeze orders involving billions of pesos in assets allegedly tied to flood control corruption.

CWS Partylist Representative Edwin Gardiola, along with Benguet Representative Eric Yap and ACT-CIS Representative Edvic Yap, filed a motion on January 5, 2026, seeking to bar Bilyonaryo.com from further reporting on their frozen assets. The lawmakers claim the website violated confidentiality provisions by publishing sensitive information about AMLC’s asset freeze orders. According to reports, the AMLC investigation linked them to questionable flood control projects, with massive sums of money and properties now under scrutiny.

Court documents revealed that Gardiola’s frozen bank accounts allegedly recorded transactions amounting to ₱479.5 billion over 15 years, while the Yap brothers were connected to 300 bank accounts and ₱16 billion worth of properties that were placed under freeze orders. The lawmakers argue that the publication of these details compromises their right to due process and violates secrecy laws governing AMLC investigations. They also asked the appellate court to cite Bilyonaryo.com in contempt for continuing to report on the matter.

The case stems from allegations of corruption in flood control projects, where contractors and lawmakers were accused of benefiting from inflated contracts and questionable transactions. Bilyonaryo.com has published a series of investigative reports detailing the scope of the AMLC’s findings, including the scale of frozen assets and the involvement of multiple family members and corporations linked to the lawmakers.

Legal analysts note that gag orders against media outlets are rare in the Philippines, as they raise concerns about press freedom and the public’s right to know. The motion filed by Gardiola and the Yap brothers will test the balance between confidentiality in ongoing investigations and the constitutional protection of free speech and free press. The Court of Appeals is expected to deliberate on whether the publication of AMLC freeze orders constitutes a breach of secrecy laws or falls under legitimate journalistic reporting.

As of now, the lawmakers remain under investigation, and their frozen assets continue to be monitored by the AMLC. The outcome of the gag order petition could set a precedent for how corruption-related cases involving public officials are covered by the media in the future.

Due Process or Due Silence, Does Justice Really Fear Sunlight?

When lawmakers ask the courts to silence reporting, the claim is familiar. Due process, confidentiality, rights. Yet the issue is not rumor or anonymous leaks. It is verified asset freeze orders issued by the Anti-Money Laundering Council, tied to public officials and billions in questioned funds.

The target is not the investigation but the messenger. By seeking a gag order against Bilyonaryo.com, the argument shifts away from frozen assets and toward muted coverage. That shift matters. Public office comes with public scrutiny. Transparency is not punishment. It is protection for institutions and citizens alike.

Due process guarantees fairness in court, not silence outside it. If reporting facts threatens reputations more than alleged corruption threatens trust, then the wrong interest is being defended.

So we must ask plainly. Does justice really require less sunlight, or is sunlight exactly what due process depends on?