Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday condemned the wave of death threats and pro-killing comments directed at her following the killing of political vlogger Alicia “Mima Alicia” Lipata.
Hontiveros said she is taking the threats “seriously” and has submitted to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) the names and screenshots of hundreds of Facebook users who allegedly threatened to kill her.
“I condemn the wave of death threats and pro-killing comments that erupted online following the death of vlogger Mima Alicia,” Hontiveros said in a social media post.
“We are taking these threats seriously,” she added.
The senator said her staff had been regularly deleting and reporting disturbing comments on Facebook and had already turned over the information to the NBI.
“My staff has routinely deleted and reported these disturbing comments on Facebook, and we have submitted to the NBI the names and screenshots of hundreds of Facebook users who have threatened to kill me,” Hontiveros said.
She said that instead of offering condolences over Lipata’s death, some individuals celebrated the killing and even encouraged violence: “Sa halip na makiramay, may mga nagdiriwang sa gitna ng kamatayan at nag-uudyok pa ng karahasan. Ngayon naman, marami rin ang tahasang nagbabanta na ako daw ‘ang susunod.’”
Hontiveros urged social media platforms and law enforcement agencies to take stronger action against threats and what she described as a ”culture of impunity online.”
“Hindi dapat maging normal sa atin ang pagbabanta sa buhay ng ating kapwa. Kahit gaano kalalim ang pagkakaiba natin sa pulitika, may hangganan ang ating mga pagtatalo,” she said.
“We cannot allow such hatred to cost another life. We are better than this,” she added.
The threats came after Hontiveros visited the wake of Lipata, who was shot by unidentified motorcycle-riding suspects in front of her residence in Caloocan City. Lipata died on the spot, while her live-in partner, who was with her during the attack, was injured.
Authorities are looking into several possible motives behind Lipata’s killing, including her work as a pro-administration content creator.
