CEBU 5th District Representative Duke Frasco has expressed support for Board Member Tining Martinez and the residents of Bogo City and neighboring areas affected by the recent earthquake that struck Cebu’s 4th and 5th districts.
In a statement released Thursday, Frasco commended Martinez for his “courage to speak the truth” in his privilege speech, which criticized what he described as a “failure of leadership” by the Provincial Government of Cebu in responding to the disaster.
“I stand with Board Member Tining Martinez, the people of Bogo City, and all Cebuanos who have suffered and lost loved ones from the earthquake,” Frasco said. “I commend his courage for speaking the truth… about how this suffering has been compounded by the failure of leadership of the Provincial Government.”
Frasco claimed that Martinez has since been the target of “bullying and attacks” on social media allegedly perpetrated by “mouthpieces and trolls” defending provincial officials.
“For choosing to speak the truth, Board Member Tining is now being bullied and attacked on social media… something I am all too familiar with,” Frasco said. “Whenever one speaks up against the current Provincial leadership, the usual response is not to address the substance of the valid concerns, but to unleash personal attacks meant to intimidate and silence those who dare to tell the truth.”
He added that such tactics have become “predictable,” accusing critics of attempting to “discredit, distract, and destroy” those who demand accountability.
Frasco, switching briefly to Cebuano, said detractors resort to mockery and online harassment to silence dissenters:
“Awayon ug bugal-bugalan pa ka nila sa social media aron mahilum ka ug mahadlok nalang ang uban sa pagsuporta ug pagsulti sab sa tinuod,” he said. “Sigurado ko, mao nasad ni ilang buhaton diri nako pagkahuman niining akong post.”
The congressman vowed to continue speaking out, saying that “the truth should never bend to bullying nor be concealed at the cost of more people suffering.”
“No amount of noise can silence those who speak for the people and stand for what is right,” Frasco concluded.
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