Pia calls out PDEA, media for baring suspect’s HIV status

MANILA, Philippines — Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach slammed the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and some members of the media for disclosing the HIV status of one of the suspects in a buy-bust operation in a hotel in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

Wurtzbach, an HIV/AIDS awareness advocate, said it was unnecessary to bare the identities of the men and publicly shame them.

“What has been done has not only traumatized the men that were involved; it has also worsened the HIV situation in the Philippines,” she said in her Instagram post Tuesday. 

The beauty queen added: “Because of what PDEA and the news outlet have done, some people are now associating drugs and immorality with being gay. It’s ridiculous.”

READ: PDEA, media hit for disclosure of drug suspect's HIV status

Wurtzbach, who was assigned as the Goodwill Ambassador of the regional branch of the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS last May, emphasized that being gay is not a crime and living with HIV is not a punishment.

“Sa aking mga kababayan, 'wag po tayo maging judgmental. Hindi immoral ang maging bakla, hindi dapat ituring na kaparusahan ang HIV. At lalong hindi ito biro na dapat pag-pyestahan at pagtawanan,” Wurtzbach said.

She added: “To my beloved LGBT community, stay strong. We’ll win this.”

Moreover, she urged the PDEA and the news outlets to “take steps to mend the situation.”

PDEA, on Tuesday, apologized for the disclosure of the suspect’s HIV status, saying “there was no intention to shame much less single out one person.”

 

Universe, listen to this. A few days ago a drug bust happened in a high scale hotel in Manila Philippines involving 11 supposedly gay men. Two of them were suspected of selling/distributing drugs. During the operation, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) found out that one of of them was HIV positive. PDEA and local news outlets decided to expose the identities of these men to the media. Their mugshots, names, and the HIV status of one of them were released. Was this really necessary? I understand that what the men were supposedly doing was illegal and they should face legal consequences. But there was absolutely no need to expose and publicly shame them. It’s illegal to publicly announce one’s HIV status (RA8504). What has been done has not only traumatized the men that were involved; it has also worsened the HIV situation in the Philippines. We’re working so hard in educating the people properly on HIV/AIDS, on taking away the stigma. Because of what PDEA and the news outlet have done, some people are now associating drugs and immorality with being gay. It’s ridiculous. The whole point of this drug raid was to arrest the men for their supposed crime, which was selling/distributing and using illegal narcotics. Being gay is not a crime! Living with HIV is not a punishment! Come on, Philippines. We are already taking small steps forward to improve acceptance, tolerance and understanding. We cannot take big steps back. To PDEA and the news outlets, take steps to mend the situation. Sa aking mga kababayan, wag po tayo maging judgmental. Hindi immoral ang maging bakla, hindi dapat ituring na kaparusahan ang HIV. At lalong hindi ito biro na dapat pag-pyestahan at pagtawanan. To my beloved LGBT community, stay strong. We’ll win this.

A post shared by Pia Wurtzbach | Miss Universe (@piawurtzbach) on

Nov 28, 2017 at 5:31pm PST

Wurtzbach was the latest personality to condemn the baring of one of the suspects HIV status joining Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, Commission on Human Rights, HIV awareness advocacy groups and netizens.

Under Republic Act 8504, or the Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act, a person's HIV status is confidential except in specific medical situations and if subject to a subpoena from a court. Violation of confidentiality is penalized by from six month to for years in prison as well as fines.

READ: PDEA nabs 11 in raid on BGC hotel room