The account of presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s spokesperson Vic Rodriguez was allegedly suspended from Facebook.
Multiple accounts are being flagged for violating the community standards of the social media platform before the election.
This was announced by Rodriguez, Tuesday, who is also Bongbong’s chief of staff. He said this even in January 2022 when he mentioned to Rappler that he doesn’t have any social media accounts.
“FB/Meta suspended my account because I am for Bongbong Marcos. This action is censorship of the highest degree on a sovereign act, digital terrorism no less,” he said in a statement issued by the Federal Party of the Philippines.
“I will not appeal, for I have not violated anything. My duty is to the Filipino people and not to FB/Meta.”
Facebook is a private company, and Rodriguez is a private individual.
Rodriguez complained of alleged censorship of him on social media. It will be recalled that censorship in newspapers was rampant during the dictator’s Martial Law and former President Ferdinand Marcos, Bongbong’s father.
In a report by The STAR, Rodriguez insisted that he also did not post anything about the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict – which is known to spread disinformation often online.
Facebook suspends account of BBM’s spokesperson
The ruling party PDP-Laban, which endorsed Bongbong, had earlier said that their candidates ’posts had been repeatedly flagged or“ takedown ”from Facebook for violating community standards.
Just this April, Meta, FB’s parent company, announced that it had taken down hundreds of accounts and pages in the Philippines that were conducting “malicious activities” on social media before the May elections.
“I will continue communicating with the many other forms of media available that are free from any filter, censorship, or manipulation from foreign platform providers,” he added.
The accounts of those suspended on the platform should not be visible to other people on Facebook, but a Vic Rodriguez, who introduced himself as Bongbong’s spokesperson and chief of staff this afternoon, is searchable.
His official FB page, “Atty. Vic Rodriguez,” is up and running, and it’s not missing on Facebook.
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