Filipino actress Agot Isidro received all sorts of comments from both sides of the fence for her political views she airs on her social media accounts.
Last weekend, she greeted a user on Twitter “Happy Mother’s Day” despite having wished for her death and abuse of her children.
Such class.
Happy Mother’s Day to your Mom! pic.twitter.com/eT44TAl4Rh
— Agot Isidro (@agot_isidro) May 13, 2018
“Your threats and insults do not do anything to me but make me stronger,” Isidro further added in her message to the president’s allies, collectively known as Diehard Duterte Supporters.
Many people denounced the foul reply of the Twitter user, whose account was now suspended, mostly citing the effect of President Rodrigo Duterte’s similar way of speaking.
A good example of someone who was born but not raised. Tsk tsk tsk
— CarmenBonayon (@BonayonCarmen) May 13, 2018
While not having a child of her own, Isidro became a foster mother in 2012, according to reports.
Cyber bullying cases under Duterte
The Philippine National Police-Anti Cybercrime Group reported that cases of cyber bullying rose to 70.74 percent in 2016, wherein majority of these are online libel.
Among the victims of cyber bullying that year were University of the Philippines Los Baños students Renee Juliene Karunungan and Stephen Villena who received serious threats on Facebook similar to those of Isidro’s because of not voting for then mayor of Davao City as their president-elect.
In 2017, Shibby de Guzman, a young protester from St. Scholastica’s College, had been included in Time Magazine’s list of “The 30 Most Influential Teens” for rallying against the burial of Former President Ferdinand Marcos and the extrajudicial killings in Duterte’s drug war. De Guzman, however, was severely panned on social media for her involvement in protests.
There are also a few social media personalities who were in hot water on social media mostly for being purveyors of fake news.
These include Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson through her Facebook blog, “Mocha Uson Blog” and former Foreign Affairs consultant RJ Nieto through this blog “Thinking Pinoy.”
Whether an ally or not, Filipinos’ use of social media are protected by legislations such as the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and the Data Privacy Act of 2012.
Users can also make use of the policies of Facebook and Twitter on reporting abusive content so that these websites can review to block or suspend harmful accounts online.
Isidro’s take on recent issues
On May 11, Isidro shared her sentiment against the ouster of former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno via the quo warranto petition in a Twitter post.
She also joined an online movement called #LeaveOurShadesAlone as support to Vice President Leni Robredo during the controversial recount of votes, and even wrote an open letter to the Presidential Electoral Tribunal.
Dear Presidential Electoral Tribunal,#LeaveOurShadesAlone #LeniTheRealVP pic.twitter.com/O2tGM1T65T
— Agot Isidro (@agot_isidro) May 9, 2018
Isidro also commented against the grammatical errors printed on the identification cards of the media covering the Office of the President last March.
