OPM rock icon Dong Abay slammed as fake news a social media post that named him as the pro-Trump protester who was spotted wielding the walis tambo.
On January 8, a certain Rodel Rodis allegedly posted on Facebook: “We now know the name of the FilAm insurrectionist. (Thanks to Gemma Nemenzo.) He’s Dong Abay.”
The rocker had a fiery response to Rodis whom Abay also identified as an immigration lawyer based in the US.
“Hindi ako Fil -Am, g*g*! O1 visa ko,” Abay responded on Facebook, where he also shared a screenshot of the post.
The Facebook post has been deleted as of writing. In a subsequent post, Rodis offered his apologies to Abay.
However, in another Facebook post on Saturday, Abay said he will pursue cyber-libel charges against those who tagged him in the US capitol riot.
“This is to inform the public that I’m pursuing a cyber libel case to be administered by a U.S. lawyer against Gemma Nemenzo and Rodel Rodis for spreading fake news,” he wrote.
The still unidentified man, widely believed to be Filipino because of the “walis tambo,” was among the pro-Trump protesters who stormed the US Capitol building as congress began certifying the results of the 2020 US presidential election.
The individual, who was pictured by international news agency Agence France Presse, is now on the list of rioters that the FB has sought to identify by enlisting the public’s help.
Abay is the not the only musician who was mistaken to have participated in the US Capitol riot.
Jamiroquai frontman Jay Kay was “forced to deny” on Twitter after he saw his name trending as people mistook him as the protester seen wearing a horned helmet, Fox News said.
“Good Morning Washington, loving the headgear, but not sure that’s my crowd,” he tweeted. “Stay safe everyone, J xxx.”
