Palawan declares Rosmar Tan, Rendon Labrador personae non gratae following viral Coron incident
The Provincial Council of Palawan on June 18 approved a resolution declaring social media personalities Rosmar Tan and Rendor Labrador personae non gratae following their heated argument with a mayor's staff in Coron.
The Palawan Times shared a video of Palawan 1st District Board Members Juan Antonio Alvarez and Winston Arzaga urging Palawan Vice Gov. Leoncio Ola to approve the resolution after the two personalities' "disorderly behavior" and for "conduct inimical to the... morals of the community."
To be declared as persona non grata means a person is no longer welcome in a particular place. But it doesn't mean they'll be prevented from visiting it, much less get arrested.
The issue began when a mayor's staff named Jho Cayabyab Trinidad, on her personal Facebook account, accused Tan and Labrador, who are under the group called Team Malakas, of exploiting Coron residents for their vlog that supposedly aimed to give groceries and promote tourism on the island.
Intending to air their displeasure over Trinidad's post, Tan and Labrador visited the office of Coron Mayor Marjo Reyes, who was in Puerto Princesa at that time.
Viral videos showed Labrador shouting and pointing at Trinidad.
Later on, Trinidad posted a public apology to Tan and Labrador.
But Coron's municipal council member John Patrick Reyes on Facebook shared a draft of a resolution seeking to declare Tan and Labrador personae non gratae.
"RESOLVED, as it is hereby RESOLVED, to declare Rendon Labador, Rosemarie Tan Pamulaklakin a.k.a. Rosmar and Marki Tan as persona non-grata in the Municipality of Coron, Palawan for their disrespectful behavior, negative publicity, incitement to conflict, and violation of Republic Act No. 10951, also known as the ‘Property and Damage Penalty Adjustment Act’; Article 153 of the Revised Penal Code; and Republic Act No. 11313, also known as the “Safe Spaces Act (Bawal Bastos Law),” read the draft of the resolution.
The drafted resolution stated that Labador's actions were "disrespectful, inappropriate, and a blatant disregard for proper decorum," while Tan caused “undue distress and embarrassment to the mayor’s staff and were seen as reflecting negatively on the office she represents.”
Tan, Labrador, and the rest of Team Malakas, meanwhile, issued a public apology afterward.
Tan said she regretted posting "Never again" as she got carried away by her emotions after the incident.
Labrador, meanwhile, pointed out that they visited the mayor's office not as the personalities that they are but rather as Filipinos who got hurt over Trinidad's accusations.
They also addressed the persona non grata resolution, with Tan saying they'd humbly accept the decision and Labrador owning up to what he did.
Labrador is a self-proclaimed motivational speaker whose posts and comments on social media often stir controversy.
Tan, meanwhile, is an entrepreneur with a focus on beauty products. She generated buzz online after claiming in an interview that she earns between P5 million and P13 million every day.