Lawyer Regal Oliva, Mandaue City Treasurer, says she will push through with the filing of a case against the man who allegedly posted “derogatory remarks” against the city’s pride flag. | Mary Rose Sagarino
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — An official from Mandaue City will push through with the filing of a case against a man who posted “derogatory remarks” regarding the city’s pride flag.
Mandaue City Treasurer, Lawyer Regal Oliva, said that she already prepared her affidavit and would file a case against Roch Dungog to the City Prosecutor’s Office.
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Derogatory remarks vs pride flag
Dungog allegedly violated the SOGIE Equality Ordinance or the LGBT Code of Mandaue City and Safe Spaces Ordinance in his alleged “derogatory remarks” of the city’s pride flag.
Dungog’s Facebook post on June 15 contained “Gabayot-bayot man lage ni og flag ang Mandaue?” with photos of the pride flags of the city as part of the city’s celebration of pride month in June.
“It is a degrading term, putting the gay boy in a lower level than straight or heterosexual people, actually we would want to educate people but I think saying that and tagging Mandaue City,” said the Mandaue official.
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Crossed the line
“He crossed the line already, as I’ve told him his freedom of expression ends when you already broke the right of people, that is my right to be safe in Mandaue City,” she said.
The post was deleted a day after receiving a lot of hate comments but netizens were able to obtain screenshots.
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Asked for an apology
Oliva said that Roch Dungog opened her message to him after she released a statement to the media regarding the issue.
Oliva contacted Dungog after the post reached her but it was not opened by him until she released the statement.
Oliva said that Dungog asked for an apology but she believed that he should apologize to Mandaue City since his post was made publicly tagging Mandaue.
Give a lesson
Oliva said that she would push through with the case hoping to give a lesson to everyone.
“I hope that this would be a lesson for everyone that Mandaue City takes it seriously when it comes to making the city inclusive and more accepting to all kinds of people, it’s not only that we are protecting the LGBT, but we are also protecting all constituents in Mandaue City. Let us remember to think before we click,” said Oliva.
Earlier, Dungog claimed that he does not know anything about the LGBT+ community and did not intend to offend anyone.
Mandaue City is very inclusive and the most accepting local government unit in the country.