UP student victim of bullying after filing petition vs. Duterte

He checked the accounts as part of efforts to identify the perpetrators but most of these were created just to bully him or issue threats.

 

"Ito nga yung kakaiba sa kasong ito. Hindi death threat na sinasabing 'Papatayin kita.' Ang sasabihin, 'Sana mamatay ka na,' 'Sana ma-rape 'yung girlfriend mo,' 'Sana manakawan ka,'" he said.

 

"Ibig sabihin 'di nila kayang gumawa ng kasamaan sa sarili nilang mga kamay. So 'yun ang kakaiba dito sa sitwasyong ito—sa kanila, merong ibang puwedeng gumawa noon, at hahayaan nila 'yung pinuno na parusahan kung sino man 'yun sa kung ano mang paraan," he said.

 

Delas Nieves wants to disqualify Duterte on the ground that Duterte's substitution for PDP-Laban's presidential candidate Martin Diño was invalid.

 

His petition was dismissed after he failed to attend the preliminary conference on Monday. He was in Davao ity to attend a conference while his lawyer was late.

 

Commissioner Christian Robert Lim, who presides over the Comelec First Division, said the case is still pending.

 

It was heard on Tuesday afternoon, along with petitions filed by Rizalito David and Elly Pamatong.

 

Asked about his trip to Davao City, Delas Nieves said he didn't encounter any problem there, probably because people didn't know who he was.

 

He said his parents—a tricycle driver and a vegetable vendor—were against him going to Davao, Duterte's turf, because of the threats they were receiving.

 

"Natakot sila kasi ang dami nang threats sa Facebook. Pero siyempre, sabi ko, wala naman tayong ginagawang masama. Ginagawa ko lang 'yung responsibilidad ko bilang mamamayan ng bansang ito. Kaya pumunta ako ng Davao," he said.

 

Another point that Delas Nieves raised in his petition was Duterte's "disregard" for human rights may lead to "another Marcos-style dictatorship."

 

Delas Nieves said Duterte's camp has not reached out to him, and he does not know if the threats were made with the mayor's blessing. 

 

However, the UP student said his experience somehow reflects the negative influence that Duterte has on some people.

 

"Ang problema dito 'yung pangulong susuportahan nila, ang inspirasyong ibinibigay niya hindi para sa pagkakaisa, hindi sa pagkakaintindihan, kundi sa pananakot sa isa't isa. Ito, naramdaman ko agad 'yung pananakot… at ngayon, napakaraming bullying na nangyayari, lalo na sa social media," he said. — BAP, GMA News