One of the convenors of opposition coalition 1Sambayan revealed that he has been receiving threats and malicious attacks, including an attempt to extort P5 million from him to stop the release of manipulated pictures and video to the public.
Lawyer Howard Calleja disclosed to reporters in a press conference on Wednesday, March 9, that he has been receiving multiple threats through letters to his residence and office, text messages, and private messages on his social media pages for a year now.
"In all of these threats, nothing reached my family. It was only limited to myself, office, practice but recently it has escalated over the past year, I have gotten a lot of texts. Of recent, it has escalated," Calleja said.
The most recent was an extortion try, demanding him to deliver P5 million at a gas station in Parañaque City by Wednesday or else a "scandal will be released to all Facebook sites" related to him.
Calleja shared some of the messages of attacks and threats he has been receiving during the presser. They all came from various individuals, who, according to Calleja, are using fake names and fake accounts.
Some of these are manipulated photos of Calleja with model Deniece Cornejo and actress Cristine Reyes, who are both her clients, and a shirtless photo of the lawyer.
There is also a message demanding him to "drop the nuisance case and let the people decide."
He also received a message asking if his wife and children are safe and warning him to always be mindful of what's behind his back because they know where he lives and the vehicle he drives.
"Whatever they might show or release--pictures or videos--in the next few days or in the future, I leave it up to the public because as I said there is no truth if we continue to believe in fake news," Calleja said.
"My pages are not troll pages. The names Ricardo Antonio, Andy Walker, Blue Label Cash Bautista, Jessy Dela Cruz are all fake accounts. If they are willing to hide in a fake account, I don't know why people would choose to believe the same. That's why I am coming out right now to say that ako po wala akong fake account, wala ho akong tinatago kaya nilalabas ko po ang katotohanan (I don't have a fake account, I am not hiding anything, this is why I am telling you the truth now)," Calleja added.
Asked whether he knows who are behind these attacks, the 1Sambayan co-convenor said he does not know "if they are working together or separately but it appears, they are working similarly."
"I guess alam naman natin kung sino ang tinutukoy doon but outside politics marami din po akong kalaban sa Forbes Park...Mahirap na magpangalan kasi at this point (I guess we know who they are talking about there biut outside politics, I also have many enemies in Forbes Park...It is actually hard to drop names at this point)," Calleja said.
Amid the attacks and harassment, Calleja stressed that he will continue to stand by and fight for his advocacies and affirmed that he will not give in to blackmail and extortion.
"Hindi ko alam kung kailan sila titigil (I don't know when they will stop). P5 million is a big amount. We know if we succumb to blackmail, extortion, it will never end. We also know that if we stop the advocacy o pinapatigil yung mga kaso, yung ating paglaban sa politika, hindi ko naman po ito laban (stop the case, my advocacy in politics, this is not my fight), it is not for me. Wala naman pinangako sa'kin na kahit na anong politiko (I was not promised anything)," the lawyer stressed.
"I have spoken out against this government not because I hate the president, I do not have anything personal against him. I spoke out against candidates in this election not because I hate them. I don't have anything personal against them but I think it is the proper thing to do, to bring the truth, to educate our Filipino people," he added.
Calleja also apologized to her celebrity clients for being dragged in the attacks against him.
He also appealed for help from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Philippine National Police (PNP) cybersecurity units to track these individuals to end the harassment and threats.
Meanwhile, 1Sambayan condemned the attacks and extortion try on Calleja "in this very crucial juncture in the campaign period."
"We condemn to the utmost extent such an undignified attempt to destroy the reputation of Atty. Calleja all at the expense of extorting money and disrupting the electoral advocacy to which Atty. Calleja has dedicated his professional career," the coalition said.
"We call upon all 1SAMBAYAN members to pray for Atty. Calleja and his family; and to all pertinent law enforcement agencies to put these blackmailers to justice," it added.
1Sambayan is the coalition backing the election bids of Vice President Leni Robredo and running mate Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan.