MANILA, Philippines - A Twitter war erupted between Armed Forces public affairs chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc and critics who question the military’s move to seek the deportation of Marc Suselbeck, the German fiancé of slain transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude.
It all started when Cabunoc, whose Twitter user name is @HaroldCabunoc94, posted comments berating Suselbeck for trying to enter the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) compound.
The restricted facility serves as the detention facility of US Marine Pfc. Joseph Pemberton, the suspect in the killing of Laude.
“The AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) accepts Suselbeck’s apology but he has to face the consequence of his actions. (Armed Forces chief) Gen. (Gregorio) Catapang (Jr.) wants him declared an undesirable alien,” Cabunoc tweeted.
Twitter user Jun Pasaylo (@junpasaylo) reacted negatively to the post, saying the country can hardly get peace because “there are people that talk peace with their right hand and stabbing with their left.”
The comment did not sit well with Cabunoc, who asked Pasaylo if he thinks the military is at fault because it wants to preserve the law.
Pasaylo argued that the “rule of law” Cabunoc was talking about carries with it “wasted resources” from taxpayers’ money.
Cabunoc then replied in Filipino: “If you don’t want to follow laws, maybe you want the law of the jungle bro.”
He asked Pasaylo whether the Constitution and rule of law should be forgotten because they are costly.
Twitter user Glenchee Arnandez (@glenchee) chided Cabunoc for talking about the law of the jungle while they are exchanging ideas online.
“You are not a defender of the Filipino people. You are a defender of your inconsiderate and shameless reasons,” Arnandez said.
Cabunoc, however, insisted that implementing the law is never shameless and called on Arnandez to read the previous messages before she responds.
Name-calling then ensued with Arnandez calling Cabunoc “pikon” (spoilsport).
At one point, Cabunoc scored Arnandez for being an “epic fail” when it comes to conversation.
Cabunoc also engaged in exchanges with ABS-CBN anchor Lynda Jumilla (@lyndajumilla), who criticized his statement that getting carried away by emotions does not justify violations of rules.
“That statement of yours is rubbing salt into the wound,” Jumilla said.
She also asked what’s the point of preventing Suselbeck’s departure to Germany, to which Cabunoc replied: “The BI (Bureau of Immigration) is merely doing its job. I’m not in the position to explain their actions.”
Speaking to reporters, Cabunoc said there’s nothing personal with his tweets.
“It was not a war, it was a quarrel of ideas. There’s nothing personal,” he said.
Cabunoc maintained that Catapang sanctions his tweets.
Sen. Franis Escudero said he agreed that what Suselbeck did was wrong. – With Marvin Sy