Journalists barred on FB after posting about Marcos

MANILA - Several journalists and activists have been barred on Facebook after others reportedly complained about their posts about a hero's burial for the late President Ferdinand Marcos.

Journalist Inday Espina-Varona, in a Facebook post, said her brother, Nonoy Espina, who is also a journalist, and some other media practitioners, artists and social activists, have been suspended from using their accounts.

"Why? Because of an apparent deluge of Marcos troll complaints due after a page they are part of shared Ed Lingao's recent post on the family of the late dictator," she said.

Journalist Ed Lingao also shared the same sentiment after he was barred from posting anything on his Facebook account for 24 hours because of a post on the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

"Since FB deleted my post on the Libingan ng mga Bayani, I am putting up the entire post all over again. Kung i-delete nila ulit ito, ipopost ko ulit. Patagalan na lang tayo, pasensyahan na lang tayo. If FB thinks my posts violate community standards, I wonder what kind of standards they have, and whether their reviewers have standards as well. The FB page on community standards specifically states that they delete posts based on content, not on the number of complaints. Really makes you wonder..." he said, reposting his previous post.

For Varona, Facebook's reaction on posts are "ironic," though not surprising.

"The instances of Facebook punishing LEGITIMATE users for LEGITIMATE posts, on account of orchestrated moves by malicious political, economic, government interests are growing. It is ironic, but not really surprising, that platforms once conceived as havens for freedom of expression are under attack, with its rich owners and managers allowing this manipulation by the powers that be," she wrote.

As of this writing, Lingao has reportedly been barred from posting anything on his account, following another series of complaints on his second post.

Friends of Lingao and Varona have started reposting their respective messages on their own accounts, with some advising others to post a screen capture of Lingao's post instead of sharing his second post to avoid being targeted by "trolls."

Last week, Lingao posted his opinion on Marcos' burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, adding that if the late dictator is buried there, the name on his tombstone should be "William Saunders," the name he "used to open his first Swiss account."

"Can Duterte bury Marcos at the LMB? The rules governing the use of the Libingan are just executive in nature, and the commander in chief can of course order that the rules be changed. It is not a legal question at all, but a moral one," he wrote.

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte earlier said Marcos should be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

"I will allow the burial of President Marcos sa Libingan ng mga Bayani, not because he is a hero…but because he was a Filipino soldier. Period. That can be arranged immediately,” he said.

"It is my sole decision. I accept full moral, legal responsibility. I believe it has created division in the country,” he added.