GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 11 September) — Vlogger Crist Briand Oncada, known online as “Brader,” has agreed to suspend all his social media accounts for one month after a settlement with the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF)–Davao Region and the Davao City government. The agreement, facilitated through the Davao City Muslim Affairs Office, was prompted by Oncada’s deleted post referring to “halal pork” that drew criticism from Muslim groups and individuals. The agreement was signed on September 10 at the NCMF regional office in Davao City, days after the agency issued a show-cause order for the “offensive and misleading” post. Pork and its by-products are regarded as haram, or forbidden, in Islam. Under the settlement, Oncada will suspend his social media activity, except for a weekly reposting of his apology, undergo psychiatric consultations with his mother, and participate in community service, immersion, and peace advocacy activities. He also pledged to observe the city’s discipline campaign and avoid similar acts in the future. In a video recorded at the NCMF office during the settlement and posted on the agency’s Facebook page on September 10, Oncada issued a formal apology. “I sincerely apologize for the post I made, which offended members of the Muslim community. I understand that my words and actions were inappropriate and caused pain. I take full responsibility,” he said, reading from a prepared statement. He uploaded a separate apology video on his personal Facebook page the same day. Oncada, who has thousands of followers online, has faced criticism in the past for content flagged as offensive or insensitive, making the “halal pork” post the latest in a string of controversies. The Bangsamoro Youth Commission, in a September 3 Facebook post, emphasized the responsibility of content creators to avoid misrepresenting religion. “The idea of ‘baboy na halal’ is without basis, false and misleading, and is rightly seen as offensive and disrespectful to the religious beliefs and cultural sensitivities of the Muslim community,” it said. In a separate September 10 post on NCMF’s page, NCMF–Davao Regional Director Sherrila Porza-Sawah said the settlement was meant to address the offense while encouraging dialogue and reconciliation. “This settlement is not only about addressing an offense, but also about building bridges of respect and understanding within our diverse communities,” the statement said. The NCMF and the city government said they will monitor compliance with the agreement while continuing programs that promote peace and interfaith harmony. (Guia A. Rebollido/MindaNews)
