GenSan declares Leah Navarro persona non grata over retribution tweet

The General Santos City Council on Tuesday declared singer Leah Navarro a persona non grata after she indicated in a now-deleted tweet that the recent Mindanao earthquakes were a form of “retribution.”

Former Supreme Court spokesperson Theodore Te on Thursday tweeted, “What’s with all the earthquakes in Mindanao?” to which Navarro replied, “Retribution?” earning the ire of netizens.

Both tweets have since been deleted, with Te apologizing for his “rhetorical, non-political, and personal” post that “invited hurtful replies from others whose tweets I cannot and do not control.”

[1/2]: I have deleted a tweet and my reply-explanation to that tweet which, though unintended, have caused offense, pain, and hurt to family and friends in Mindanao where I am from, proud to be from, and which I love. ...

— Theodore Te (@TedTe) November 2, 2019

[2/2]...though my tweet was rhetorical, non-political, and personal, it invited hurtful replies from others whose tweets I cannot and do not control. I apologize for giving them that platform. To family and friends from Mindanao, please be assured of my prayers for your safety.

— Theodore Te (@TedTe) November 2, 2019

The resolution declaring Navarro as persona non grata was “unanimously approved” by the council during its regular session, an email from the General Santos City Vice Mayor’s Office showed.

“The resolution to that effect is still being finalized,” said the email sent to GMA News Online.

Navarro said that there was nothing she could do about people who chose not to forgive her.

“I apologized, deleted my tweet and regret the hurt I caused. It is their choice not to forgive. There’s nothing I can do about that,” Navarro said.

Mindanao was jolted by powerful earthquakes on October 16 (magnitude 6.3), October 29 (magnitude 6.6), and October 31 (magnitude 6.5).

The national disaster management council reported 21 deaths, 421 injuries, and two missing persons following the two latest quakes, while 28,070 persons have evacuated their homes due to damage. —NB, GMA News