News Roundup 14 February 2022
Feb 14, 2022 • 4 min Read
PWD groups call out former Speaker Alvarez for using autism as insult | PHILSTAR.COM – Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez (Davao del Norte), former House speaker is under fire from groups and advocates for persons with disabilities over a live-streamed tirade where he used autism as an insult against a political opponent. Alvarez, at a campaign rally in Panabo City, Davao del Norte on Friday, made fun of De Carlo “Oyo” Uy — a candidate for vice governor — and called him a “special child” due to his being “autistic.” The event was livestreamed on the official Facebook page of presidential aspirant Sen. Panfilo Lacson. “Special child yan! Tingnan nyo ang mga tarps. Titigan nyo kung di ba special child yan. Sa smile pa lang, autistic!” he said. (He is a special child! Look at his tarps and see if he is a special child. You can tell by his smile that he is autistic) “Wag kalimutan, para wala nang tumakbo na special child sa Davao del Norte as bise gobernador, tulungan natin si Monsour del Rosario sa Senado. Wag yang special child kasi patay tayo diyan!…Yan ang normal! Yan ang normal na smile (That’s what a normal smile looks like),” he added, pointing at the picture of his endorsement. In a statement, non-government advocacy organization PWD Philippines called the remarks “an affront to all parents of children living with autism.” “We know that trash talk is part of electioneering, but please lay off the children with disabilities because it is insulting to our community,” the statement reads.
Pacquiao, Lacson, Robredo to skip Quiboloy’s SNMI debate | INQUIRER.NET – Three presidential candidates have so far declined to participate in the debate to be hosted by SMNI, the broadcasting arm of Kingdom of Jesus Christ church led by Pastor Quiboloy. Presidential candidate Senator Manny Pacquiao on Monday said he cannot “in good conscience” attend the debate considering that Quiboloy is wanted for sex trafficking charges in the US. “As much as I would like to participate in every debate and public forum related to my bid for the presidency, I am compelled to decline the invitation of SMNI, which is owned by Apollo Quiboloy, who, according to the US government, has molested and abused children,” Pacquiao said in a statement. “I cannot, in good conscience, be part of any activity organized by a man wanted for detestable crimes and who unconscionably used the name of the Lord in vain for religious scams,” he added. Aside from sex trafficking charges, Pacquialo also noted that he still has pending cyberlibel case against Quiboloy. “Kaya mas mabuting tanggihan ang imbitasyon ng SMNI para hindi mabigyan ito ng kahit anumang kahulugan na maaaring makaapekto sa aming kaso,” the boxer-turned-politician said. (That’s why it would be better to decline the invitation of the SMNI so that it would not be given any meaning that could affect our case.) Presidential candidate Senator Lacson, meanwhile, said he and his running mate Vicente Sotto III are skipping the debate since Quiboloy has openly endorsed another presidential and vice presidential candidates: the tandem of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte-Carpio. “With all due respect and giving regard to common sense, SP TIto Sotto and I are skipping the SMNI debates. The network’s chairman, Pastor Quiboloy has already openly endorsed his preferred presidential and vice-presidential candidates,” Lacson said in a Twitter post. For her part, presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo is set to meet with leaders and supporters in Panay Island during the day the debate was scheduled therefore she cannot attend, her office said. Robredo, instead, will be present in all upcoming Comelec-sponsored and accredited debates. “Leni Robredo has a proven track record of attending debates and interviews regardless of the personal histories or affiliations of its sponsors. Unfortunately, the VP already has a long standing commitment to meet with leaders and supporters in Panay Island on the date this event was scheduled,” Robredo’s spokesman Barry Gutierrez said in a statement.
Pangilinan files libel complaint vs. YouTube channel for ‘damaging’ content | Manila Bulletin – Vice-presidential candidate Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Monday, Feb. 14, filed a libel case against YouTube channel Maharlika for spreading false and malicious content that intends to inflict damage on him and his family. The senator said his wife, superstar Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan, and daughter, Frankie, also intend to file a case against Maharlika for violating Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. Tech giant Google, which owns YouTube, must also explain how these videos do not violate its community standards after the senator repeatedly asked the company to take down the “libelous video content,” Pangilinan added.
