Defensor tells public: Don’t engage in ‘hate campaign’ vs China amid virus scare

Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor during the weekly briefing at the House of Representatives. Noy Morcoso / INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Anakalusugan Partylist Rep. Mike Defensor on Tuesday urged the public to avoid engaging in a “hate campaign” against China amid the threat of novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV.

Instead of engaging in this “hate campaign,” Defensor said that Filipinos should instead sympathize with the sick and mourn the lives lost there.

“Gusto ko lang i-appeal kasi nakikita ko sa social media, may hate campaign against the Chinese. Tingin ko medyo mali ito. Huwag nating gawin yung ganun. Hindi naman nila ito kasalanan,” Defensor said at the Usapan sa Batasan press briefing in Quezon City.

(I want to appeal because I see on social media that there is a hate campaign against the Chinese. I think that is wrong. Let us not do that. This is not their fault.)

“Nagtutulungan tayo, hindi ito usapin ng race o bansa. May mga maysakit doon, makiramay tayo,” he added.

(We are helping each other, this is not a case of race or country. There are sick people there, let us sympathize.)

For Defensor, the hate campaign is “unfair” and “unacceptable.”

“If at all, we must pray for the people of Wuhan or the people of China for their safety and for their health,” Defensor said.

Defensor said that various government agencies will be meeting with the World Health Organization (WHO) to discuss how to address novel coronavirus and other infectious diseases.

He also backed the Department of Health (DOH) in its call to avoid spreading fake news regarding novel coronavirus.

The health department on Tuesday said that the Philippines have 24 patients under investigation (PUIs) for the suspected novel coronavirus.

Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said most of the PUIs are from China.