MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Presidential Spokesperson scrambled to control the fallout after an insult against two journalists, including News5’s Lourd de Veyra, appeared in the comments section of its own verified Facebook account as it broadcast live on Friday, October 27.
The comment, which was immediately captured in screenshots, appeared during the Facebook Live broadcast of Friday’s Mindanao hour briefing by the OPS account, which tackled the rehabilitation of Marawi.
Kupal literally refers to a bodily secretion under a man’s foreskin. It is used in Tagalog as a colloquial pejorative akin to calling someone an obnoxious jerk.
Aside from De Veyra (whose name the comment misspelled as “devera”), the comment mentioned a “Pia,” which news outfit Rappler said was likely their reporter Pia Ranada, who had just asked a question about foreign assistance when the comment appeared.
Soon after, administrators of the OPS account posted an explanation saying the comment “was written by a former administrator of the page who is no longer connected with the Office.”
“The said comment does not reflect the official and personal views of the Presidential Spokesperson or his office on the individuals being referred to,” it added.
It said the former administrator’s access to the page has been revoked.
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