Chel Diokno slams misogynist attacks on Robredo daughter, calls on Google to remove links

Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno on Monday asked Google to immediately remove links to online content falsely associating Vice President Leni Robredo's eldest daughter Aika to pornography.

The senatorial candidate accused Robredo's political rivals of peddling such  disinformation, saying it was the latest in a script written in reaction to the Vice President's supposed momentum as Eleksyon 2022 nears.

"Ito ang latest script ng kabila, targeting the daughters of VP Leni,"Diokno said on Twitter.

"Alam nating desperado na sila dahil sa paglakas ni VP, but it takes a special kind of evil to resort to misogynistic attacks against the kids. Ito ba ang uri ng pulitika na gusto natin para sa ating mga anak?" he added.

Ito ang latest script ng kabila, targeting the daughters of VP Leni. Alam nating desperado na sila dahil sa paglakas ni VP, but it takes a special kind of evil to resort to misogynistic attacks against the kids. Ito ba ang uri ng pulitika na gusto natin para sa ating mga anak? pic.twitter.com/Ek7QFXiKzH

— Chel Diokno (@ChelDiokno) April 11, 2022

Diokno uploaded a photo of a screenshot of the links tagging Aika in the supposed porn.

"We call on Google to remove these links immediately and to pro-actively prevent any more links containing the same abhorrent misogynostic attacks to be published," Diokno said.

"Google should not allow itself to be used for crimes against women,"he added.

Robredo's spokesperson, Ibarra Gutierrez, meanwhile, said such efforts to malign Aika is a crime.

"This is a malicious fabrication and we have reported it to the platforms concerned para matake-down. Our lawyers are studying our options for legal action," Gutierrez said.

"Malinaw na krimen ito. At ang paraan para talunin ang mga ganito once and for all: Manalo tayo sa halalan, ayusin ang sistema, at panagutin ang mga nagkakalat nito," he added.

Gutierrez, however, said that supporters of Robredo and the rest of her team should not be distracted by such tactics.

"Our supporters should see this for what it is: A distraction. This is a direct and vile response to the momentum we continue to gain. It won’t yield votes for those who are spreading it," Gutierrez said. 

"Ang mas malalim na goal ng ganitong tactic, ‘yung manggigil tayo at magwala sa social media. Para awayin natin ang mga tao at hindi tayo maka-convert. Kaya nga ang tamang response dito: Hold the line tayo para sa pag-ibig. Be firm but kind sa pagtatama ng disinformation, kahit gaano ito kawalanghiya," Gutierrez added.

(This tactic is meant to stoke anger among us and rage on social media, for us to pick fights among people and prevent us from converting them to support VP Leni. The right response for his is to hold the line with love by being firm and kind in correcting disinformation, no matter how foul.)

Robredo gained nine percentage points in the latest Pulse Asia poll for 24% but remained in second to former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. who had 56%. 

Her campaign rallies, however, have been well-attended as shown by drone videos and photos at the venues. —NB/RSJ, GMA News