THE Philippine National Police (PNP), through its Twitter account PNP Tweets, admonished motorcycle ride-hailing services provider Angkas over a social media post that compared its services to sexual intercourse.
The Angkas tweet was made just two weeks after President Rodrigo Duterte was reported to have signed the so-called "anti-bastos" law.
Angkas posted on Twitter at 7:14 p.m. on Tuesday, July 30:
"Angkas is like sex. It's scary the first time pero masarap ulit-ulitin."
The PNP, through Twitter account @PNPhotline, quoted the Angkas tweet in its post and tagged the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB):
"This is not acceptable to commuters. Matatakot ang tao sa Angkas pag ganito. This is not promoting public safety in transport business anymore @LTFRB_Official @LTFRB."
As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 31, the Angkas tweet has received more than 14,600 likes (hearts), retweeted more than 1,500 times, and received 370 replies.
PNP Tweets, according to PNP spokesperson Brigadier General Bernard Banac, is being administered by the Public Information Division of the Directorate for Police-Community Relations.
Banac has yet to comment on the matter.
Republic Act 11313, or the Safe Spaces Act but commonly referred to as "anti-bastos" law, was signed by Duterte on April 17. A copy of the law was released mid-July.
The law punishes catcalling, wolf-whistling, unwanted invitations, misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic and sexist slurs, persistent uninvited comments or gestures on a person's appearance, relentless requests for personal details, and statement of sexual comments and suggestions, public masturbation or flashing of private parts, groping, or any advances, whether verbal or physical.
It also penalizes gender-based online sexual harassment and mandates the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNPACG) to receive complaints, develop an online mechanism for a real-time reporting of the offense, and apprehend perpetrators.
Gender-based online sexual harassment includes acts that use information and communications technology in "terrorizing and intimidating victims through physical, psychological, and emotional threats, unwanted sexual misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic and sexist remarks and comments online, whether publicly or through direct and private messages." (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/SunStar Philippines)