Thread by @indayevarona

Joshua Molo confirms a barangay official told him to stop with his "anti-government' posts and apologize to teachers or be arrested and charged for cyber-libel. (A thread, full text from Joshua, shared by @karapatan paralegal @thejoncallueng )

I am Joshua B. Molo, 20 years old, a Filipino citizen, and a resident of Brgy. San Fernando Sur, Cabiao, Nueva Ecija. Following the incident yesterday, it appears that numerous information have been circulating online and offline regarding my case.

So for record and clarification purposes, here is my account in full: 1. On Sunday, April 5, 2020, at around 12:00 noon, I was invited by village officials of Brgy. San Fernando Sur, Cabiao, Nueva Ecija to a mediation meeting on a blotter-complaint filed against me;

2. When I arrived at the barangay hall, Brgy. Councilor Juliana Talens informed me of the nature of the blotter, and the complainant was identified as my former teacher, Mrs. Jun Ainne Francisco.

According to Mrs. Francisco, the filing of the blotter was supported by two of my former teachers namely Mr. Mel Garcia and Mr. Roger Dela Cruz. Moreover, Francisco said they have enough evidence to file a cyber libel case against me.

The three were my former teachers at the Cabiao National High School;
3. Among these so-called evidence are screenshots of my posts on Instagram;

4. The blotter-complaint, filed on the morning of April 5, stemmed from my online exchange on Facebook with the three teachers on April 2, following my post on the Duterte administration’s response on the COVID-19 pandemic through the “Bayanihan Heal as One” program.

I later stopped replying to their messages and posted instead on Instagram;
5. On Instagram, I expressed disappointment on people’s apathy and indifference to the plight of the poor amid COVID-19, and these may be due to their position of privilege;

6. According to Mrs. Francisco, she was offended by my posts so she went to the Cabiao Philippine National Police Cyber Crime Division and asked the police officers to scan my social media accounts.

Mrs. Francisco said that the police opined:
"Hayaan mong magpost nang magpost yung bata para damputin na lang." (Let that kid post online so he can be arrested)
"Against nga iyan sa gobyerno, hayaan mong maging aktibista para mapadampot na lang"

(He is against government, let him be an activist so he can just be arrested);
7. At the mediation meeting, Mrs. Francisco told me that there are enough evidence for them to file a cyber libel case against me.

8. Mr. Garcia and Mr. Dela Cruz said that I should come out with a video with a public apology;

9. Brgy. Councilor Talens told me that my other option is to voluntarily sign a blotter report stating that I will no longer state any anti-government posts on social media and that I will issue a public apology, or I may face a cyber libel case, arrest and detention.

For fear of being faced with a cyber libel case, I agreed to sign this blotter report, sans the texts on posting anti-government statements, and to be on video for my public apology;

10. I was forced to sign the report and make the public apology via video because I feel threatened with the statements of Mrs. Francisco as well as the threats and red tagging from the PNP on the possibility of my being arrested on cyber libel charges.

In light of this event, I would like to thank those who support me as I face these threats.

I decided to go public to continue my advocacy for free expression and that I will continue to do so to uphold the public’s right to information and to freely express opinions, even if these are contrary to the views of government and its supporters. #30

Our young colleague from the University of the East stands tall despite the trauma. Let us salute him and all other journalists under fire for truth-telling. #DefendPressFreedom #ResistTyranny