Kiko ‘worried’ about rape threat vs. daughter Frankie: ‘Nakakagalit, nakakalungkot’

Senator Francis Pangilinan on Monday said he is worried for the safety of his daughter Frankie after the latter, who sparked the #HijaAko movement in Twitterverse, received a rape threat from a netizen.

"As any regular father, I am worried for her, her safety and her well-being. Nakakagalit at nakakalungkot din na merong mga ganyang tao, merong mga ganyang tatay pa naman. Rape is never, never a joke," Pangilinan said in a statement.

He added that Frankie has shared in various interviews that many women have also been confiding with her about their sexual harassment experiences and the trauma that these left behind.

"Those horrific stories can be traumatic for anyone, even adults, even strong young adults like Frankie," Pangilinan said.

Frankie, 19, stood firmly against victim blaming after a police station in Quezon province posted a reminder that girls should not wear provocative attires to avoid being sexually harassed.

In response, she was addressed by TV and radio personality Ben Tulfo as "hija" as he told her that "a sex offender's desire to commit a crime will always be there."

Unfazed, Frankie started using #HijaAko on Twitter to encourage people to stand up to their abusers. The hashtag trended on social media.

A couple of days later, a netizen that goes by the name Sonny Alcos allegedly threatened to hunt down and rape Pangilinan's daugther.

Sharon Cuneta clapped back at Alcos and said she will even face the netizen on her own, without the help of her husband Pangilinan.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Cuneta has reached out to him about the online rape threat. The National Bureau of Investigation is already looking into the said issue.

Pangilinan thanked those who expressed concern for Frankie and their family.

"We will do all we can to try and make a safe space, even in social media, for our children," he added. —LDF, GMA News