A political firestorm is brewing over the arrest of former UDP Chairman Alberto August. As that debate intensifies, Prime Minister John Briceño is stepping in to defend the actions taken by authorities, insisting that this case isn’t about silencing criticism, but about protecting individuals from harmful online attacks. The Prime Minister backed Home Affairs Minister Oscar Mira’s decision to involve police, stressing that anyone who feels targeted has a constitutional right to seek protection. But he didn’t stop there, Briceño also accused August of crossing the line, saying that he exploited a grieving family for political gain. Here’s how he weighed in on the growing controversy.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I think that Oscar Mira also is a citizen, and if he feels that somebody is slandering him, he has every right to go and make a report. And so he made a report which is his constitutional right and then the police picked up Mr. August. I don’t know the entire details. And he got bail on Sunday.”
Reporter
“Alberto August makes posts about you every single day. Have you ever thought about bringing cyberbullying charges against him?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Alberto August wouldn’t take up time of my efforts in dealing with him. He can say whatever the hell he wants, and it doesn’t bother me one bit.”
Reporter
“So is Mr. Oscar Mira thin-skinned to be a politician?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“No, absolutely not. We are all different. We are all different. And sometimes we do need to take a stance. Maybe I should consider taking out lawsuits against Alberto August and maybe I should have all PUPs to take out lawsuits for him so maybe he can’t spend a lot of time doing those stuff. The thing is that what Alberto August did is disgusting. To take of an opportunity when a family’s grieving and to imply or to quote whatever it is that he did of what the minister said. And the minister felt aggrieved because he knows this family. He is friends with the family. As he explained to me, the doctor was good friends with his brother. They went to school together. One did engineering, and one did medicine. And so for him now to use this for political gain, I think it’s despicable on his part. So I think Oscar Mira, everyone, to be able to take, to make a report against him under the cyber bullying law.”
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