Fans slam Cayetano for using BTS’ name for political agenda
Taguig-Pateros Rep. and former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and six of his allies are set to form a new bloc at the House of Representatives called “BTS sa Kongreso,” which many fans of the K-pop supergroup BTS oppose and have made #CayetanoStopUsingBTS trend on Twitter Wednesday morning.
Cayetano has yet to reveal the reason behind the choice of the name but many believe it's to ride on the popularity of the history-making Korean boy group, whose name stands for Bangtan Sonyeondan or Bulletproof Boy Scouts.
The new bloc will consist of seven members—Cayetano, Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu, Bulacan Rep. Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado, Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, AnaKalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez and Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte—the same number of members in BTS.
All of them, under Cayetano’s speakership, had top positions in the House until Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco took over the speakership in 2020.
Before the official launch of Cayetano’s group, members of BTS loyal fan base known as ARMY, who are known to be protective of the group, were quick to call out on social media their opposition to Cayetano associating the K-pop group’s name with his political agenda.
Twitter user @fortaeonly called out Cayetano to stop using BTS for clout.
So who’s gonna tell him that BTS hate corruption and all the dirty stuffs that the government is doing? Better stop using BTS for clout sir. Leave them alone!#CayetanoStopUsingBTS pic.twitter.com/qGdMfEa3tq
— gguk (@isfortaeonly) January 12, 2021
@weannmxix lamented, “You’re definitely messing up with the wrong artist, company and fandom. Nakakahiya to.”
Meanwhile, Twitter user @bangtanibnida urged the Filipino ARMYs to register for the 2022 elections. “I think now is the time to compel PHarmys to register for this 2022 elections. U see, they use BTS to get out votes. Let us prove them wrong. We are not gullible! We won’t allow them to capitalize on our admiration for BTS. We resist this manipulation!”
❗❗❗
— Mochix (@k_mochixx) January 12, 2021
Don't trend anything regarding the Cayetano issue. Let'move silently.just email BigHit.
#CayetanoStopUsingBTS pic.twitter.com/hH3N6Y9dPH
Some fans pointed out to other ARMYs to stop using Cayetano’s name and hashtag so as not to inadvertently promote the former Speaker’s agenda. They instead called for further action—to directly e-mail Big Hit Entertainment, the company that manages BTS, whose recent hits Dynamite and Life Goes On continues to shatter records around the world.
A link to a Google Drive folder that contained drafts of e-mail that fans could easily access and send to Big Hit Entertainment is being circulated on Twitter.
While others still use the hashtag, fans include in their posts a notice by Big Hit Entertainment about “Unauthorized use of artist imagery and trademarks in publications.”
This is not the first time that Cayetano was slammed on social media. Last year, at the start of the community quarantines in Metro Manila, Cayetano and some of his colleagues were criticized for reportedly attempting to portray themselves as frontliners after staging a photo-op in Congress where he and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea are seen holding a banner made of Manila paper with the message “Together with frontliners, we went to work for you, so please stay home for us!”
Banner image from The Philippine STAR