Anti-Marcos leader to sue cop for threat on Facebook

A MANILA policeman faces grave threats and cyberbullying charges for allegedly threatening an anti-Marcos campaigner on social media.

Zena Bernardo Bernardo, one of the leaders of an online group opposed to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to bury former dictator Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng Mga Bayani, told the Inquirer on Sunday that she would file a complaint against PO1 Juvic Gultiano Pedotim in the Philippine National Police headquarters at Camp Crame, Quezon City, today.

A check with the Manila Police District (MPD) showed that Pedotim was with the Lawton Police Community Precinct which is under the supervision of the Ermita police station. Reached for comment, the station’s police chief, Supt. Albert Barot, said that he had yet to talk to Pedotim to get his side.

Bernardo, a private individual, said that she decided to charge Pedotim to discourage other like-minded individuals, especially “rabid supporters” of the Marcoses, from threatening people whose political beliefs differ from theirs.

“Bangkay ni Zena Bernardo Bernardo… bibitayin pa (The corpse of Zena Bernardo… it will also be hanged)!” Pedotim commented on Saturday on Bernardo’s post in her group’s Facebook page “Online Protest Against Marcos Burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.”

The post uploaded on June 15 was an announcement of the public forum “Ang Bangkay ni Duterte” (“The Corpse of Duterte”) to be held on July 1 at the University of the Philippines Diliman. The forum, to be attended by Ricardo Jose, Raissa Robles, Ric Reyes and Helen Mendoza, will tackle Duterte’s  controversial decision.

In another Facebook post after Pedotim’s alleged death threat, Bernardo said that she has had enough of the “bashing, foul words and violent threats” made by “diehard” Duterte and Marcos supporters in the last few weeks.

“You continuously poison the core values of our society. You corrupt the sense of decency of our children. Let me remind you that we do not stand helpless. We refuse to stand helpless,” she wrote.

“This is not right. [They have to realize that] their actions will not be taken lightly and there will be repercussions. It’s about time they see someone making a stand,” Bernardo told the Inquirer on Sunday.

A reminder to PNP

She hoped that through her complaint, the whole PNP would be reminded of their responsibility.

“They swore to protect the people and not make the people fear them,” Bernardo said.

Pedotim’s threat against Bernardo came nearly a week after she and her fellow organizers spearheaded a program at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City to celebrate Independence Day and voice their opposition to the late strongman’s interment at Libingan.

 Undeterred

Bernardo said that far from discouraging her and the other members of the group, the incident has further emboldened them.  “From the start, we knew that we may lose this fight. Still, we’re not going down without a fight,” she said.

In May, human rights advocate Renee Karunungan filed a criminal complaint against 20 Duterte supporters in the Department of Justice and Commission on Elections after they harassed her online for calling him a “lazy choice” for the presidency.