Politics · Philippines Bureau
Lawmaker files NBI complaint over disability-based online harassment
A Philippine congressman with a disability has lodged a formal complaint with the National Bureau of Investigation after facing a barrage of online insults targeting his physical appearance and sexual orientation. The complaint was filed jointly with advocates representing persons with disabilities.
LSN Philippines ·
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña has reported numerous social media posts to the NBI that mocked his facial features stemming from his disability, along with derogatory remarks about his sexuality. The lawmaker filed the complaint alongside disability rights advocates who sought to address what they characterized as a pattern of cyberbullying against individuals with disabilities.
Cendaña highlighted the relative anonymity afforded by online platforms as a factor enabling such harassment. The congressman emphasized that social media users often feel emboldened to post insulting content when shielded by screen names and accounts, contributing to a culture of impunity for online harassment.
The complaint underscores ongoing concerns in the Philippines regarding cyberbullying and online harassment, particularly targeting marginalized groups including persons with disabilities. Disability advocates have increasingly raised alarms about discriminatory remarks and ridicule directed at PWDs on social platforms.
The NBI complaint signals heightened efforts to hold online abusers accountable through formal investigation and potential legal action. The case may set precedent for similar complaints filed by other victims of disability-based online harassment in the country.