The Freedom To Express Your Anger And Frustrations

     "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

    

     Today is Friday, 15th of May 2020 and the 60th day of Luzon-wide lockdown, and the cold air smells of suppression.

     Three days ago, a male public high school teacher in Zambales was arrested without warrant (no,martial law hasn’t been declared) by NBI after posting on Twitter that he’d give a 50M reward for anyone who could kill President Duterte. Threatening to kill someone (including government officials) is definitely not part of freedom of expression but it was obvious that the post was just a joke (I’m sure the teacher doesn’t have 50M in his bank account and who in his right mind would publicly post a hit job, especially if the would-be victim is the president of the country) and it’s disturbing and perplexing that the authorities took it seriously.

    Where’s your sense of humor, NBI? And the world is battling a pandemic, a lot of people are understandably getting really frustrated and a bit wacko because of stress and anxiety.

     Everyone knows that threatening people jokingly and sarcastically, as the people around him claim, is one of the president’s hobbies, so why begrudge people who would imitate it.

     The case is too trivial that I’m certain that the president, when he wakes up from his stupor, would soon just dismiss it and allow the poor harassed teacher (who is being charged with inciting to sedition, a serious offense punishable by twenty years) to go home and just post harmless tweets.

     In a related news, a salesman from Agusan Del Norte was arrested for calling President Duterte stupid and buwang (lunatic). What is wrong with this government? In panicky-mode because people are getting frustrated and angry with them by the day and they’re trying to quell that anger immediately? It’s common knowledge that citizens are allowed to criticize and publicize their (negative) opinions and express their frustrations ( as long as they don’t slander) on their government officials. It's called freedom of speech. It is the president himself who said that it’s okay for people to criticize him, so why arrest the guy?  Or that statement from the president just a joke? Or hyperbole? Or sarcasm? Or a lie? Is this president, who loves to mock, belittle, insult, curse and threaten his critics with bodily harm, such onion-skinned?

     This government really sucks.

     Anyways, I don’t have a Twitter account, but my sole friend has, I went to his account and saw this tweet: I’d give 50M to anyone who could give me love life.

     Freedom of speech, yes..

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