Human rights group criticizes paid ads allegedly funded by Duterte supporters

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) said supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte have been using paid online ads to “manipulate online discourse” regarding his arrest.

In a statement on Wednesday, ICHRP said information from the data forensics group The Nerve revealed a Facebook page in support of Duterte had a paid ad budget of P1,000 to P1,499 (US$ 17.44 to US$ 26.15) to embed political propaganda in entertainment communities and fan pages.

“It used vlogger networks to amplify its content, turning social media into a political tool. The most expensive ads reached over 1 million viewers, with messages synchronized across platforms,” ICHRP said.

The group said among the advertisements the supporters pushed online were claims of unfair treatment of the former president and targeted online attacks on victims, legal counsels, and critics of Duterte’s deadly drug war.

“The Duterte camp, in desperation, has resorted to dirty tactics to try to derail the proceedings and divert the people’s attention from the real issue, which is accountability. Duterte is trying to sway public opinion by playing the victim card, when in fact he was the mastermind of a brutal and bloody war on the poor that claimed 30,000 lives under his presidency,” ICHRP stated.

The ICHRP also denounced the harassment and threats directed at families of drug war victims and called for the public to stand in solidarity with victims who have been receiving death threats and increased online harassment since Duterte’s arrest for alleged crimes against humanity.

The group encouraged mobilizations and further statements condemning the harassment.

“We must not allow this re-victimization of the families and survivors who have been at the forefront of the movement for justice. We must continue to stand behind them, provide any support possible, and demand justice for the thousands of victims of Duterte’s war on the poor and dissent,” the ICHRP continued.

The ICHRP also reiterated its call for accountability and the rejection of Duterte’s interim release.

Sought for comments from the the Duterte camp, former chief presidential legal counsel Atty. Salvador Panelo dismissed the accusations, claiming these are, "pure nonsense." —Jiselle Anne Casucian/RF, GMA Integrated News