Retract traffic jam video claim, QCPD urged

MANILA, Philippines — A man who claimed he was wrongfully accused as the person who uploaded a viral video of a traffic jam along Quezon City wants the police to retract their allegations against him.

Janus Munar particularly wants Lt. Col. May Genio, commander of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD)’s Holy Spirit police station 14, to take back her statement identifying him as the one responsible for the video that showed motorists at a standstill along a major road.

The video went viral on social media platforms after the uploader said the traffic jam was due to the convoy of Vice President Sara Duterte, citing his conversation with a policeman who was at the scene.

Munar’s lawyer, Free Legal Assistance Group chairman Jose Manuel Diokno, said on Friday his client was cyberbullied by netizens
and trolls due to Genio’s allegations.

“For now, our request is for the (Philippine National Police), QCPD to retract their allegation that (Munar) shot the video,” Diokno said in an interview over Radyo 630 dwPM.

If the QCPD will not take action, Diokno said he would talk with Munar on filing a complaint.

Diokno, a human rights lawyer, said there could be violations of Republic Act 1017 or the Data Privacy Act when Genio mentioned Munar’s name without verifying first if he was indeed the video’s uploader.

The QCPD, for its part, has yet to issue a response to Diokno’s statement.

Diokno said what is important is for Genio to admit she was wrong in disclosing Munar’s name without concrete evidence.

Munar earlier denied he was the one who took the video, adding it was only sent to him by a friend through Facebook Messenger.