‘Pepe-dede’ blogger Drew Olivar charged over bomb joke

MANILA, Philippines — Pro-Duterte blogger Drew Olivar, who received flak for mocking the deaf community and the “pepederalismo” video along with Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson, was charged before the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday for posting a bomb threat on his Facebook page during the 46th anniversary of the declaration of martial law on Sept. 21.

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) filed a complaint against Olivar for violating Presidential Decree 1727 or the Anti-Bomb Joke Law and Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

Olivar posted on his Facebook account a warning to protesters not to join rallies because an explosion similar to the Plaza Miranda bombing in Quiapo, Manila in 1971 could occur.

“He knew that the information he disseminated on social media was false as he publicly admitted during a press conference at the NCRPO headquarters at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig,” read the complaint filed by Senior Inspector Rommel Bautista of the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division.

PD 1727 prohibits malicious dissemination of false information or the willful making of a bomb threat or any similar device or means of destruction.

Violators may be fined P40,000 and penalized with five years in prison.

Olivar co-hosts an online show with Uson.

‘No Mocha, no budget’

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives deferred yesterday the hearing on the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO)’s proposed 2019 budget due to the absence of Uson.

Reps. Carlos Zarate and France Castro of Bayan Muna and ACT Teachers, respectively, moved for the deferment of the PCOO budget deliberations, which was granted by the plenary.

Parañaque Rep. Eric Olivarez told the plenary that Uson is out of the country.

“She was absent during the budget hearing on Sept. 6. Now she is absent again,” Castro said.

The P1.41-billion budget sought by the PCOO for 2019 is higher than its P1.38 billion budget this year.   – With Delon Porcalla