‘Awful, stupid’: Frankie Pangilinan slams rape threat anew

MANILA, Philippines — Singer Frankie Pangilinan on Wednesday received rape threats anew after condemning rape culture following the death of Philippine Airlines employee Christine Dacera.

“There’s something awful and stupid about how I only get rape threats when I talk about rape not being okay,” Pangilinan, daughter of Megastar Saron Cuneta, wrote on Twitter using her official account @kakiep83.

The singer was reacting to a screenshot of a Facebook comment which contained the rape threat.

READ: PH celebrities: Justice for flight attendant’s death

Previously, Pangilinan received a rape threat for denouncing victim-blaming in cases of sexual violence and harassment. Cuneta was enraged over the threat against her daughter, saying she would sue the perpetrator for the malicious act.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) started an investigation regarding the rape threat against the singer.

Flight attendant Dacera was found unconscious in an empty bathtub at a hotel in Makati, where she celebrated New Year’s Eve with more than 10 companions. She later died at the hospital.

Police insisted that Dacera was sexually abused, filing provisional charge of rape with homicide against 11 companions of Dacera. Three of them were placed under police custody.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Debold Sinas urged eight remaining “suspects” in Dacera’s death to surrender within 72 hours or else the police force will order a manhunt operation against them.

But one of the suspects, Gregorio De Guzman, denied that Dacera was raped because her companions in the hotel were gay.

JE