1Sambayan convenor Calleja reports harassment, extortion try
MANILA, Philippines — A convenor of opposition coalition 1Sambayan said Wednesday that he has been receiving threats for over a year, including a recent attempt to extort P5 million from him, in exchange for keeping manipulated suggestive photos from the public.
Lawyer Howard Calleja told a news conference that he received on Sunday messages to his official Facebook page from two accounts demanding that he deliver P5 million at a gas station in Parañaque City by Wednesday or else they will leak lewd imagery of him.
"Attorney, will give you until Wednesday lang to give us 5 million pesos or else, sa lahat ng fb site na concern sa iyo, ikakalat namin yung scandal mo. No more extensions and sisikat ka for sure. Dapat malaman ng taong bayan kabastusan mo at titigil kami if magbayad ka," a Facebook user using the name Ricardo Antonio said in one message.
(Attorney, will give you until Wednesday only to give us P5 million or else we will spread your scandal to all Facebook sites associated with you. No more extensions and you will be famous for sure. The people should know your vulgarity and we will stop if you pay up.”
In another message, a Facebook user using the name Andy Walker sent manipulated photos of Calleja with model Deniece Cornejo and actress Cristine Reyes and a nude photo of the lawyer. Cornejo was a former client of Calleja, while Reyes is one of his clients.
"The pictures as he has shown or the statements that he has said to me, talking with my wife, are all fake and all fabrications and photoshops or what my friend in the IT [sector] said a 'deep fake',” Calleja said.
Photos that appear to show Calleja with Cornejo and Reyes are actually photos of the lawyer with his wife, while the photo where he appears to be nude is actually a photo of him shirtless.
Calleja said authorities tried tracking down these Facebook users, but faced a blank wall as they apparently used a virtual private network to cloak their IP addresses.
‘Drop the nuisance case’
Prior to this, Calleja said he had received threatening letters and text messages.
One of these letters, sent during the holidays, threatened to give pictures of him to "Mocha [and] Bong Go."
Another letter says in part, "Atty. Howee tama na ang pabibo at sobrang yabang. Tama na nuisance case. Let the people decide. Masyado ka elitista at kampi nang PULA.”
(Atty. Howee, stop being too showy and boastful. Drop the nuisance case. Let the people decide. You’re too elitist and allied with the Reds.)
A text message from an unknown number, meanwhile, asked if Calleja’s wife and children are still safe, with a warning to keep safe and to always look behind his back.
Another text message from the same number said that they know where he lives and the car he drives, again warning to stay safe when heading out or something might surprise him.
Calleja declined to specifically name who he thinks are behind these threats, but said the messages he received contain hints as to who they might be.
"Kung titingnan po natin, kung babasahin ko po iyong fine line ng isang message doon na nuisance case, huwag na mag-file ng disqualification, I guess alam naman natin kung sinong tinutukoy doon. ‘Pag sinabing let the people decide, I guess alam naman natin kung sinong tinutukoy doon," he said.
(If we will look at it, if we will read the fine line of one message about the nuisance case, don’t file for disqualification, I guess we know who is being referred to by that. If they say, “Let the people decide,” I guess we know who is being referred to by that.)
Calleja represents petitioners from the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law who are seeking to disqualify the late dictator’s son and namesake, former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., from the presidential race.
But the lawyer vaguely noted that outside of politics, he has two "enemies" in Forbes Park, an exclusive gated subdivision in Makati.
For now, Calleja is appealing to authorities for help to track down who are sending threats to him and his family as he continues his lawyering and his being part of 1Sambayan.
"I have spoken out against this government, not because I hate the president, I do not have anything personal against him. I spoke up against candidates in this election, not because I hate them, I don’t have anything personal against them as well. But I think it is the proper thing to do to bring the truth, to educate our Filipino people," he said.
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