BUTUAN CITY – A netizen called out Butuan City Councilor Cromwell Perez Nortega after he posted a homophobic and misinformed remark online, irresponsibly linking the LGBTQ+ community to the rise in HIV cases in the country.
In a Facebook post on June 7 at 11 AM, Ruchelle Louise Medado condemned Nortega’s statement, where he used the term “kiki” in a mocking tone alongside emojis and later issued what many see as a non-apology, urging people to “move on.” As of this writing, Medado’s post has garnered more than 430 shares.
Nortega, in response to the backlash, posted the following message along with a screenshot of his original post:
“Mao ni napost kung nasipyat ko kay kiki ang nagamit pero kiki man gyud term gamit sa ako mga higala nga mga lgbt ang sipyat lang kay naay emoji 😜 pero unta dili dayun hukman nga gihimo nga kataw-anan. Kay mao bi[t]aw naay pangutana UYON BA MO, nindot ma[n] gani unta to kay maa nay discussions sa nahitabo. Pero nahitabo na ang tanan unta MOVE ON nata. Ang wala ganahi o mihukom nga ako gayaga yaga wala, nagpadayag rapod ko. Pasensya na❤️🙏❤️”
Many netizens, including Medado, have criticized this response as dismissive and lacking genuine accountability.
“No, Councilor. Ayaw mi’g ingna nga mag move on nalang. DILI DAPAT MAG MOVE-ON KUNG WALAY MU TAKE-ACCOUNTABILITY ANING PANG-HITABOA,” Medado wrote, stressing that the councilor’s remarks were not a simple mistake but a blatant display of bigotry, all the more alarming because they came from an elected official.
Additionally, Councilor Nortega publicly corrected his page administrators for deleting the original post, stating:
“Sa page admins unsaon nato nkarun pagclarify sa issues nga inyu man gildelete ang post, kung misipyat dawaton dli kay idelete, depende na na sa nagbasa kung unsay ila huna huna kung nasipyat kay naay emoji nagamit nga nagkatawa o gayaga yaga dawston nga sipyat o iedit, WALA DAPAT GIDELETE!
This move drew further reactions from the public, with many viewing it as an attempt to shift blame and avoid direct accountability.
HIV CASES IN CARAGA REGION
Public backlash comes as Caraga Region continues to grapple with a steady rise in HIV cases. According to Anthony Torralba, Regional Program Officer of Protect Upscale-SHIP PFSI, there have already been 37 confirmed HIV cases recorded as of March this year. The region consistently reports no fewer than 30 new cases per month.
Torralba explained that increased HIV case reports partly reflect progress, as more individuals are getting tested. However, he warned that limited testing coverage could lead to a hidden epidemic. “Kung wala’y mag-test nga staff sa Protect Upscale, Butuan City Health Office, Surigao City Health Office, ug San Francisco RHU, gamay ra ang makita nga kaso,” he said.
Currently, these agencies are leading testing efforts in the region. Torralba further noted that one challenge facing HIV treatment is the shortage of medical personnel in treatment hubs. Adherence to prescribed treatment schedules is also crucial to prevent the spread of the virus.
As the Department of Health intensifies its quality assurance and validation protocols nationwide, advocates stress that leadership and public discourse must also uphold accuracy and compassion, not stigma and prejudice.
MEDADO CALLS ON THE BUTUAN CITY MAYOR
Medado’s post has since called on Butuan City Mayor Lawrence “Law” Fortun to address Councilor Nortega’s remarks. “Our silence is complicity,” she wrote. “The youth are watching. And Councilor Nortega, with his archaic mindset, is not the kind of role model we want sitting in our city council.”
Under Section 2 of Republic Act 6713, public officials are expected to conduct themselves with integrity and uphold public interest over personal views. Medado reminded Nortega and fellow officials of this responsibility and questioned what the councilor has done in his three terms to support HIV awareness in the city.
Medado’s call also reached other platforms like Reddit, where under r/ButuanCity, it had already garnered 1,000 views after a Redditor, Main-Investigator789, posted a screenshot of her sentiments.
