In the Philippines, where virtually everyone who has an Internet connection is on Facebook, it becomes all too easy to change —and even ruin— peoples’ lives without a moment’s hesitation.
Just like millions of other Pinoys, 27-year-old Raymond Malinay is a
confessed Facebook fanatic: he spends every free minute online updating his
status, sharing his thoughts, and liking his friends’ posts. He even made his
account public to reach more people.
But what Raymond considered nothing more than a tool for entertainment
eventually turned out to be the medium for his oppression: he became the victim
of a very ugly prank.
On July 4, 2012, this edited photo of
Raymond Malinay went
viral on Facebook. He was
accused of having and spreading HIV. He was later tested negative for the
disease. (Photo courtesy of
Raymond Malinay)
“I really don’t know where the issue came from, I don’t have enemies… I’m
not gay,” says Raymond. “That picture spread really fast; in just two days it
got 4,000 shares and reached other countries like India and the USA.”
Crowd madness: ‘You will burn in hell’
“The worst remark I got was ‘I hope you die, your body will burn in hell,”
he added.
The day he saw the malicious pictures and comments, Raymond did not attend
class at his university in Manila, where he studies Mass Communication as a
third-year student.
“I admit I got depressed. Why would that happen to me when I didn’t do
anything to anyone? I didn’t know what to do, it was too much,” Raymond
says.
“I was really traumatized. It’s hard enough to get criticized by your friends but this is nationwide, you’ll really get hurt.”
“I was really traumatized. It’s hard enough to get criticized by your friends but this is nationwide, you’ll really get hurt.”
Netizens immediately condemned Raymond
without any verification of the truth. (Screengrabs courtesy of Raymond
Malinay)
Strangers, loved ones show support
After seclusion at home, Raymond decided to attend school the next day. Riding the LRT wasn’t a breeze, though, since other students who went to colleges in the University belt recognized him.
“When I entered the LRT, there were a lot who looked at me disdainfully,”
he says. “I knew they whispered to each other, and I knew it was about
me.”
Despite getting cyber bullied, Raymond gathered strength from his friends
and family, who backed him up all the way.
I was able to talk to his parents, friends, and teachers, and they were
unanimous in saying that Raymond is good-natured, hard working, smart, and
honest.
Despite the multitude of netizens attacking Raymond, he also received
consolation from strangers who believed his account of the story.
False accusations, a cruel prank
Immediately after the pictures came out, Raymond went to a hospital
affiliated with the AIDS Society of the Philippines to dispute the allegations
and get an HIV test.
As expected, the test turned out to be negative. Raymond then had proof
that he was merely a victim of a cruel prank.
For their part, the AIDS Society of the Philippines issued a disclaimer saying that the organization had nothing to do with the posts.
For their part, the AIDS Society of the Philippines issued a disclaimer saying that the organization had nothing to do with the posts.
On July 6, 2012, Raymond Malinay
tested negative for HIV. The AIDS Society of the Philippines also categorically
stated it had nothing to do with the accusations versus him. (Photo
courtesy of Raymond Malinay) M
“As you very well know [the] Aids Society of the Philippines has been in
existence for 15 years, and its very adherent to promote human rights
confidentiality of issues, patient rights especially on the aspects of HIV and
AIDS,” said the organization’s president, Dr. Jose Sescon.
“We have to be responsible with the message or pictures we have posted… there are human rights that needed to be protected," he emphasized.
“We have to be responsible with the message or pictures we have posted… there are human rights that needed to be protected," he emphasized.
No Anti Cyber-Bullying Law
With the upsurge in the number of Facebook users in the country, Buhay
party-list Representatives Irwin Tieng and Mariano MichaelVelarde saw it fit to
introduce House Bill 6116 or the “Anti Cyber-Bullying Act of 2012”, an act which
would seek to punish hackers and hear cases of bullying on the internet.
Tieng admits, however, that it is difficult to have their bill passed since
not many legislators currently share their view on its importance.
The lack of an anti-cyber bullying law is precisely the reason why, when
Raymond went to Camp Crame’s Criminal Investigation Detection Group or CIDG back
in July, he was told that the agency had no means of tracking the culprit, and
that all they could do was to record his statements.
A more dangerous kind of bullying
“Your typical bullying happens in school or anywhere outside but it stops
when you go home. Cyber bullying on the other hand comes inside your home and
takes advantage even of younger children,” says Ng-Gui. “The first effect [of
cyber bullying] is the fear to speak up, anger, humiliation; the person can
become anti-social.”
Ng-Gui says that the best way to address the trauma caused by cyber
bullying, is to step out, tell others and surround yourself with people that
support you.
Think before you click
From time to time, Raymond still receives biting feedback from people who
believe the damaging pictures and posts, but he has learned to put them all
aside.
He eventually traced the original post to a certain user named “Shine Siy”,
but he still could not be sure if that person was indeed responsible for the
posts.
At the moment, he remains hopeful that no one will go through what he had
to endure.
“I just thought of the positive side because I felt more loved and cared
for,” Raymond says. “I learned that even if you have Facebook you don’t need to
broadcast everything about your life. It is very important to be responsible and
as they say, to ‘Think before you click’.”
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