Devina DeDiva, a Facebook user who quickly gained infamy by insulting newly crowned Miss World Megan Young and issuing racist comments against Filipinos in general, may have bitten off more than she can chew.
Several posts from Singapore-based Filipinos reported that Anthony Benedicto filed criminal charges against DeDiva.
Singapore has strict laws against mockery and racism through words, acts, or publications. The law covers posts on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Singapore’s Sedition Act fines up to $5,000 and jails up to three years anyone found guilty of promoting ill-will or hostility between races, classes, and other peoples residing in Singapore.
DeDiva was also reportedly fired from her teaching job in the country, reportedly run by Filipino supervisors.
Manchester University, where DeDiva was rumored to have been studying in, also denied having her within their walls.
In a statement, officials from the University said, “Manchester University (Indiana, USA) has been mistakenly associated with an individual Devina DeDiva today after she made racist comments regarding the recently crowned Miss World from the Philippines. To clear up any confusion, the University has confirmed that Devina DeDiva has never been a student at Manchester University.”
“In addition, Manchester University stands as a place of differences where the community engages in respectful dialogue cultivating individual beliefs and values. In our accepting community, the racist comments made by this individual would not be tolerated as respectful,” they said.
Benedicto, in his latest social media post, said he prefers, instead of “throw(ing) another racist comment” back, to
go through the legal system and hope that God reforms DeDiva’s racist views
“I prefer the latter which is effective, and less stressful. Avoid griping, make your point known, then move on,” he said.
DeDiva gained infamy when she commented on Young’s Miss World win, saying, “Miss Philippines is Miss World? What a jok
e? I didn’t know those maids have anything else in them. Hahaha,”
Her subsequent posts gained the ire of the Filipino community, when she continued her insults by saying Filipinos were filthy, underprivileged, smelly, and uneducated maids.
Local celebrities, former beauty queens, and Filipino netizens were quick to defend Young.
DeDiva has since changed her Facebook name to Arabic and deleted the original post, and is reportedly afraid to wander into the streets.
(with reports from The International Business Times)