MANILA, Philippines (Update 1, 6:57 p.m.) — The National Bureau of Investigation filed more criminal complaints against online personality “Francis Leo Marcos.”
The STAR reported that Marcos, whose real name is Norman Mangusin, is facing additional complaints on violation of the passport law and anti-alias law, and inciting to sedition.
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NBI Cybercrime Division chief Vic Lorenzo confirmed this in a text message to reporters.
EXCLUSIVE: The National Bureau of Investigation filed three more charges — violation of the anti-alias law, inciting to sedition, and passport law — against internet personality Norman Mangusin, aka Francis Leo Marcos. | @reygalupo pic.twitter.com/BQfnrTEDh6
— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) May 21, 2020
Lorenzo said that they are filing violation of the passport law and the anti-alias law because he was using two names, “Norman Mangusin” and “Francis Leo Marcos.” He is also accused of possessing a passport using his alias.
“What is the truth? At the same time, in [violation of] the passport law, because if you falsified documents in procuring passport under a different name, that is not allowed,” Lorenzo explained in Filipino.
The CCD chief said that Mangusin is also facing a complaint of Article 142 or inciting to sedition, in relation to paragraph 4 of Article 39 that reads “to commit, for any political or social end, any act of hate or revenge against private persons or any social class.”
Central to the inciting to sedition complaint is one of the viral videos on his “Mayaman Challenge” where he urged wealthy people to help the poor during the period of enhanced community quarantine.
Article 142 of the Revised Penal Code states that inciting to sedition can be done through speeches, proclamations, writings, emblems, cartoons, banners or other representations “that tend to disturb or obstruct any lawful officer in executing the functions of his office, or instigate others to cabal and meet together for unlawful purposes, or which suggest or incite rebellious conspiracies or riots, or which lead or tend to stir up the people against the lawful authorities or to disturb the peace of the community, the safety and order of the government, or who shall knowingly conceal such evil practices.”’
It is not immediately clear which video the NBI was pertaining to, but Lorenzo said the bureau saw “elements” of the crime of inciting to sedition in one of his uploaded videos.
Lorenzo said that in one of the videos, Mangusin said that residents of an affluent subdivision are not helping others, where “his manner of speaking incite to inflict hatred to the rich.”
The bureau arrested Mangusin on Tuesday over a charge of violation of the optometry law, filed by the Optometrist Association of the Philippines. A Baguio City court issued the warrant against the online personality.
Lorenzo also said that there is also a standing warrant of arrest over a violation of the Violence against Women and their Children law from a Nueva Ecija court against the internet personality.
Mangusin remains detained at the NBI, Lorenzo confirmed. — Kristine Joy Patag with report from The STAR/Rey Galupo