Senator Risa Hontiveros is allegedly going to help the female driver who figured in a viral video for hitting a taxi driver file a cyberbullying complaint against her online bashers.
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The story was published by thereadersfeed.com, archlight.media. rarenews.altervista.org, pinoynewscast.altervista.org, bayangpilipinas.com, and more.
It was also shared by Facebook pages “Balitang OFW’s” and “Favradio FM.”
Even a Facebook page posing to be that of Interior thanked Hontiveros for her alleged help.
According to the story, Hontiveros wanted to help the female driver, Cherish Sharmaine Interior, after she got bashed by netizens for hitting the cabbie, Virgilio Doctor. The senator was even quoted saying:
“Naiintinidihan naman natin si Mang Virgilio, at hindi natin kinakampihan si Ms. Interior. Kaso sobra naman ang ilan sa atin kung makapag-bash. Mayroon pang nananakot na rerepyin sya at sasaktan siya pag nakita nila siya. Hindi naman tama yun. Nag-sorry na at handa naman daw niyang harapin yung kaso. Ano pa ba ang gusto nila?”
Hontiveros allegedly said that her office is ready to help victims of cyberbullying.
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The story also mentioned Hontiveros’ “Tres Marias” bills, which was at least true. The senator filed the bills, which include Anti-Rape Act (Senate Bill No. 1252), the Gender-Based Electronic Violence (Senate Bill No. 1251), and the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill (Senate Bill No. 1250), to protect women against online harassment and violence.
However, the story’s claim about Hontiveros helping Interior is not true at all. The senator took to Facebook to deny the story and call it fake news.
“Magpa-Pasko na, pero fake news pa rin ang inaatupag ng iba. Ano bang pwedeng iregalo sa mga nagpapakalat ng fake news?” she wrote.
“Baka pwedeng lovelife para sumaya naman sila. Hehe,” she joked.
We also found out that thereadersfeed.com got the story from philnewscourier.blogspot.com, which we have debunked for spreading several fake stories before, including those about the CBCP asking a teenage girl’s mom to forgive the priest who was accused of sexual abuse, the CBCP agreeing to release the Maute parents in exchange for a hostaged priest, and Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters saying she wants to work with Duterte because she admires him.
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