MANILA, Philippines – Annoyed by the data verification association between Facebook and Rappler and Vera Files, key supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte have suggested their fans leave Facebook.
Artist Jimmy Bondoc, deputy vice president of entertainment at the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, asked his fans to remove Facebook. His call on Friday, April 13, went viral on social media.
In the post, Bondoc denounced the association between Facebook, Rappler and Vera Files and encouraged his fans to search for a chosen social media platform. The message, along with a petition discrediting Rappler and Vera Files, has been removed.
However, Duterte’s supporter Paula Defender Knack’s Facebook page has taken a step by asking her supporters to migrate to the “Russian Facebook”: VKontakte or VK.
In a message released Friday, Knack asked supporters of pro-Duterte teams to move to the VK. These teams come with President Rody Duterte International, Paula Defender Philippine Group, Meadows, Rody Duterte Facebook Army, Duterte Kami ang Media Mo, Miriam Supporters of Defensor Santiago, Paula Defensor and Friends, and Paula Defensor Philippine News
In another article, he said they had contacted pro-Duterte bloggers to take action.
However, it seems that the move is not over. In some other message on Saturday, April 14, she said: “WE WIN ON FACEBOOK IF PRRD OR THE COUNTRY ARE IN TROUBLE. Merci. Vk. com is our true endorsement, your members are in a position to return to FB at any time to protect the PRRD!”
Pro-Duterte supporters are not the only safe haven for teams on the Russian site. According to a report by The Atlantic, U. S. extremist teams, neo-Nazis and the right of choice have also moved to VK due to their flexible application of hate speech. Rappler. com