MANILA, Philippines – Blogger Drew Olivar is now facing a criminal complaint for spreading a fake bomb threat during the September 21 rallies that remembered victims of torture and summary executions during Martial Law.

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) filed on Thursday, September 27, a complaint against Olivar for violating Presidential Decree 1727 which prohibits the malicious dissemination of false information or the willful creation of any threat pertaining to bombs and explosives.

The complaint, which was filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ), also specified that the charges relate to the Cybercrime law.

On the eve of the rallies on September 20, Olivar posted on Facebook: “Ay, nakakatakot naman mag-rally sa EDSA kasi may kumakalat na baka maulit daw ‘yung pagbomba kagaya ng Plaza Miranda! Kung ako sa inyo, hindi na ako pupunta.”

(Oh, it’s scary to join a rally on EDSA because word is spreading that there might be another bombing like what happened in Plaza Miranda! If I were you, I won’t go anymore.)

The police had to go back to the DOJ after the prosecutor advised them to complete their evidence, which should have included more digital footprints besides just screenshots of the post. One example is the IP address that Olivar used for his post.

The NCRPO’s complaint on Thursday attached certifications from the police’s anti-cybercrime group.

Olivar, whose vlogging tandem with Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson has caught the ire of people more than once, was recently the subject of a separate criminal complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman for violation of the law that prohibits mocking the differently-abled.

Olivar made fun of the sign language.

Olivar has since apologized for the sign language fiasco, but for the bomb threat, he explained in a press conference held side by side with the NCRPO chief Guillermo Eleazar that he was just concerned for Filipinos.

His critics have pointed out the special treatment, comparing it to past instances of bomb jokes where violators are apprehended on the spot, including a priest who was detained for two hours inside the airport.

Previously, Olivar and Uson were criticized for a federalism video where they created a wordplay that in English means breasts and vagina. – Rappler.com