AFTER the hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo [Where is the President} became the top global trend on Twitter on Thursday, “LateAngPangulo [The President is late] and #Fallen44 trended worldwide on Twitter on Friday as palpable public anger over the Palace’s botched Mamasapano debacle.
But Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma dismissed the sentiments of Filipino netizens. “In our monitoring, that is not the view of the majority,” Coloma said.
It was the second day Aquino was bashed on social media by Filipino netizens who were clearly furious at the death of 44 police commandos who died in an operation to arrest Malaysian terrorist Zulkifly bin Hir in Mamamasapano town in Maguindanao.
Aquino, who skipped the arrival honors for the slain police commandos at the airport on Thursday, arrived late at the necrological rites at 10 a.m. at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City on Friday, sparking furious posts on Twitter and Facebook.
Some of the posts listed under the hashtag #LateAngPangulo:
#LateAngPangulo – Anyare, pagod? Absent kahapon, Late ngayon and panGULO na lang ata?” tweeted @Windlass.
Does he really care for his countrymen when he can’t even mourn with the nation sincerely? #Fallen44 #LateAngPangulo, said @deimlacquer.
So He Comes in LATE then Talks About HIMSELF and His Family… I’m Lost for Words. #Kapal #LateAngPangulo #NasaanAngPangulo #PNoyResign, posted @DrewSarmiento.
#LateAngPangulo was met with cold shoulders. Some families are refusing to accept his condolences. Absent ka na kahapon, late ka pa ngayon, tweeted @carlosqdeguzman.
You have forgotten how the country mourned with you when your father and mother died. #SAF44 #Fallen44 ##NasaanAngPangulo #LateAngPangulo,” posted @sampupooot
#NasaanAngPangulo #LateAngPangulo parang awa mo na Mr.President, pakita ka naman ng malasakit at sinseridad!, said @jadedme.
The day before, the hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo landed on the top spot of trending hashtags on Twitter worldwide after President Benigno Aquino III did not attend the arrival honors for 42 of the 44 slain police commandos at Villamor Air Base.
Netizens could barely contain their anger over the President’s decision to attend the inauguration of Mitsubishi’s plant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
The hashtag also hit the top spot locally on Twitter.