Filipino K-pop fans are foiling attempts by pro-government groups to drum up support for a controversial bill in the Philippines.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte recently proposed a tougher law against terrorism which many critics feared would be used to restrict Filipinos’ basic freedoms, according to Rappler.
House Bill (HB) No. 6875, known as the Anti-Terror bill, would repeal the Human Security Act of 2007 and replace it with a harsher law.
“The bill introduces provisions imposing life imprisonment without parole on those who will participate in the planning, training, preparation, and facilitation of a terrorist act; possess objects connected with the preparation for the commission of terrorism; or collect or make documents connected with the preparation of terrorism,” according to the state-run Philippine News Agency (PNA).
After adopting the Senate version, the House of Representatives approved the bill on Wednesday. It is only a matter of time until the bill is signed into law.
Advocates of the proposed law claim amending the bill will help in the country’s fight against terrorism. Critics, opposition leaders, human rights lawyers and advocates have warned, however, that several of its provisions could be used to “curtail dissent.” The timing of the passage of the bill has also been criticized as the government continues to struggle in curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
In the past few days, social media platforms have been flooded with posts of dissent, with the hashtags #JunkAntiTerrorBill, #ActivismIsNotTerrorism and #JunkTerrorBilllNow trending on local Twitter.
On Thursday, the hashtag #SupportAntiTerrorBill emerged in an apparent bid to gain support for the bill, but it soon backfired after K-pop stan (fan) accounts took over the hashtag to tweet messages of resistance.
Thousands of tweets that included videos of the fans’ K-pop idols drowned out those promoting the Anti-Terror bill.
When dds open this app then see the tag trending but when they clicked it it’s full of fancams from kpop stans. Bitch you thought 🤪🤡
DON’T YOU EVER #SupportAntiTerrorBill pic.twitter.com/zfJC7fTb7R
— ًᴠɪᴄɪ⁷🌙 #BLM✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 #JunkTerrorBill (@uniktae) June 4, 2020
I AM PROUD TO BE A DDS!!!
D – DIEHARD
D – DAHYUN
S – SUPPORTER#SupportAntiTerrorBill
pic.twitter.com/RaLM7lRofr— 찬 // MORE AND MORE 🍭✨ (@cutieeeechan) June 4, 2020
FILO MOOTS OR NON FILO MOOTS, TIME TO PROMOTE YOUR FANCAMS NOW!! DON’T FORGET TO INCLUDE #SupportAntiTerrorBill ON YOUR TWEET 🥴pic.twitter.com/61bpI3HNAg
— nd (@YONGPRINGLES) June 4, 2020
Don’t #SupportAntiTerrorBill!
Let’s flood the hashtag with fancams para masaya.pic.twitter.com/fvYck6ebmi
— DURATEX DUREX SEX LESS (@Punongbayan_) June 4, 2020
Hello mga kaDDS, watch us bam babambam bam bam-ing at moa #SupportAntiTerrorBillpic.twitter.com/SusvN4EWCA
— jEsS iS nOt oKaY (@hardforyesung) June 4, 2020
we all know wonderland era is ateez era so here’s a fancam of wonderland yeosang,, stan ateez but dont ever #SupportAntiTerrorBill pic.twitter.com/H8abH5j6Ip
— ً (@peachypeachyjin) June 4, 2020
don’t #SupportAntiTerrorBill + stream punch by nct127 and candy by baekhyun pic.twitter.com/436XAnUntw
— anek (@anneequa_) June 4, 2020
JOY HAS SOMETHING TO SAY
“ACTIVISM IS NOT TERRORISM”
STAN RED VELVET FOR BETTER LYF Y’ALL#SupportAntiTerrorBillpic.twitter.com/zNa9S7gOeu
— #JunkTerrorBillNow (@velvetnaddie) June 4, 2020
Why would you #SupportAntiTerrorBill if you can just stream this Hyunsik fancam instead pic.twitter.com/hg317I7e4E
— Hyunsik appreciates you! (@hyunsiklovesyou) June 4, 2020
K-pop stans have been known to utilize social media platforms to express their support not just for their idols but also causes they believe in.
Just recently, K-pop fans in the U.S. used the hashtag #WhiteLivesMatter to cover racist tweets, and flooded a Dallas police app to protect protestors in reaction to the Black Lives Matter movement.
Among the many voices who expressed opposition to the bill, are two Filipina former Miss Universe titleholders, Catriona Gray and Pia Wurtzbach.
We need to stay engaged because this is where our voices count. So let’s help each other by creating spaces that help us keep each other informed and help us understand what’s going on.
— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) June 3, 2020
What are our constitutional rights? 🇵🇭 Read here: https://t.co/MEpFJ7hBWk
— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) June 3, 2020
Sa lahat ng nangyayari ngayon sa Pilipinas at sa mundo.. overwhelming. Diba? Parang di mo alam kung maiiyak ka o magagalit. Parang pakiramdam mo minsan powerless ka. Parang sasabog yung puso mo. Yung feeling na parang may gusto kang sabihin. May kailangan kang sabihin.
— Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach (@PiaWurtzbach) June 3, 2020
Local celebrities such as Kathryn Bernardo, Nadine Lustre, and Liza Soberano, have also used their platforms to amplify voices who are against the bill.
Feature Image via Getty
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