On February 7, the Facebook pages of four prominent social media influencers, known for their vocal support of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, went dark. Visitors to these pages were met with a message stating, "The content isn’t available." The influencers, who had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers, regularly shared anti-Marcos content. The sudden disabling of these accounts coincided with significant political events in the Philippines, raising eyebrows across the nation.
The backdrop to this digital disappearance includes three critical events in the Philippines. First is the impeachment of Duterte's daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio. Second is the commencement of the campaign period for the upcoming midterm elections in May. Lastly, there are ongoing congressional actions addressing fake news and disinformation—a hot-button issue in the country. These influencers' followers, identifying as DDS or "Diehard Duterte Supporters," now find themselves without their usual online platforms.
Historically, DDS originally referred to the Davao Death Squads, groups allegedly formed by Duterte to carry out extrajudicial killings during his tenure as Davao City Mayor. The term has since been repurposed by loyal supporters of Duterte in the digital realm. Lawyer and Senate candidate Vic Rodriguez voiced concerns over the Facebook takedown, describing it as "characteristic of an authoritarian rule." Rodriguez is campaigning for the Senate under Duterte’s Tunay na Maisug na Opposition (Truly Strong Opposition).
Since 2016, social media influencers and trolls have wielded considerable influence in Philippine politics. The election of Rodrigo Duterte to the presidency in 2016 was significantly bolstered by a robust online presence, with influencers and trolls playing pivotal roles in shaping public perception and discourse.
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