A heated debate has erupted in recent weeks following the transformation of a Facebook group called “Storya sa Biska,” translated as “Stories in Visca,” which was formerly known as “VSU Lost and Found”. What was once a platform for Viscans to help one another has now been overrun with degrading posts, ranging from rage-baiting, homophobic comments, and political bickering to other irrelevant content— all of which violate the page’s original rule: to only post lost and found items.
Created on December 1, 2022, the group was an outlet to help Viscans search for lost items such as tumblers, gadgets, and umbrellas, and to report found items as well. By February 18, 2025, the name of the page had already been changed to its current label, and followers were granted the ability to post anonymously. As of writing, the group now has over 12,500 members.
This shift led to a surge in anonymous posts, many of which have been used for personal gain. One of the most alarming cases involved the public shaming of a student falsely accused of being HIV-positive, blatantly violating the page’s founding rule and sparking concern among students, faculty, and the wider VSU community.
A fake HIV status rooted in hate
On March 11, 2025, an anonymous user falsely accused a student of being HIV-positive in one of its posts. The post featured a photo of a student, identified later as Palermo Perandos from the Bachelor of Science in Tourism, accompanied by the caption:
“Kung making-bembangan mo, MAKE SURE NA DILI MO HIV POSITIVE!!!.” (If you plan to have an intercourse with someone, make sure that you’re not HIV positive).
The anonymous user also claims that Palermo allegedly infected a friend.
The claim quickly spread across group chats, prompting outrage over the ethical and legal implications of such accusation. Many condemned the post for its violation of privacy and the stigmatizing language used around HIV, which perpetuates dangerous misconceptions and fosters discrimination.
One user wrote: “Please don’t joke about HIV kay luoy kaayo gina bully and post aria kasama pa pics and name.”
In an interview with Amaranth, Palermo vehemently denied the allegations saying that he was HIV-positive, further describing it as a targeted smear rooted in his political beliefs.
A vocal supporter of former Vice President Leni Robredo since 2022, Perandos has been active on social media supporting certain senatorial candidates whilst criticizing both the current and past administrations. He believes his political views may have made him a target because of the upcoming Midterm Elections.
According to Perandos, he was first subtly referenced in the group before the defamatory HIV post surfaced. The original defamatory post, which used his photo, was uploaded around 4:00 PM but was deleted within 7–8 minutes. However, screenshots quickly spread. A second version of the post appeared around 6:00 PM and stayed up for an hour before being taken down. In total, Perandos estimated that around 10 related posts were made about him over several days.
Following the post, some of Perandos’ friends began to distance themselves from him—something he found hurtful, especially given that the accusations were entirely false. One comment even told him to “stop posting about politics and focus on exams” during midterm week. While he acknowledged that his political views may upset others, he said the reference to make him HIV-positive crossed the line.
“Dawaton man naho ang criticism, pero grabe naman sad to, like, dili naman to maayo na mangdaot sa ingato na way. Personal na gyud,” he said.
Who’s behind ‘Storya sa Biska’?
The possibility of knowing who posted the defamatory claim against Palermo seems to be the challenge. However, the group's administrator, who has the power to approve the posts to be featured, is just as responsible. Since its name change, the group has been on a slew of anonymous posts which greatly prevents the chance of knowing who is posting what.
Upon investigation, the group does not explicitly identify its admin and moderators except for a single person named Astorbels Hermen. Hermen, seemingly a dummy account sporting no photo or information on their Facebook profile, is posed to be untraceable aside from their moderation work in the group.
Looking into the group’s details, it does not indicate detailed rules or criteria on the posts that they approve to be shared to the group. Hermen has only authored two posts since being named as the group admin.
Mr. Jed Asaph Cortes, the creator and original admin of the VSU Lost and Found page, stated that he was removed as a moderator of the page under unclear circumstances. While the exact details of his removal remain uncertain, one of the ongoing investigations involves a series of cyber attacks on VSU-related pages since mid-2024. This includes the hacking of VSU’s main Facebook account, along with other related VSU pages.
As a result, the university temporarily lost access to its official accounts, which may have impacted pages linked to the admin or moderators. During this time, the pages began posting uncensored reels that violated META’s policies, which indicated a more systemic cyber attack.
The group is a major subject of contention, as some view it as a platform that upholds freedom of speech, others find it disturbing or treat it merely as a source of entertainment. Being a public group, it allows anyone to join without screening. As a result, individuals such as Madelaine Aporador and Jake Arban—known online trolls amongst Viscan online circles who impersonate others—have gained attention for their offensive remarks. These include mocking students who promote online businesses, post confessions, or engage in arguments with peers. The presence of other dummy and troll accounts within the page remains under investigation.
On the other hand, Perandos believes the original poster is a Facebook friend of his. He instructed his close contacts to screenshot, copy links, and send any posts they saw about him. While he tries to laugh it off, he admits the issue has taken a toll on both his mental health and family, who became deeply concerned.
Consequently, Norman Villas from the VSU-ICT has informed Palermo that tracing the anonymous users who posted harmful messages will be challenging but not impossible. He was also given the assurance that VSU is working with concerned officials to explore the possibility of having the page taken down.
A taxing resolution
In seeking redress, Perandos went to the PNP Baybay to file a blotter report. He was referred to the regional office in Palo but left disappointed due to the lack of concrete action.
Feeling judged by fellow students, he chose not to approach the University Supreme Student Council (USSC). Instead, he turned to the University Student Services Office (USSO), hoping for a faster resolution—though the results were mixed.
Now, Perandos is calling for swift action and accountability, recognizing that he may not be the last to be targeted if nothing is done. He found the most support from the VSU Legal Office and Web Team, who assured him that necessary steps are being taken, albeit gradually. He has since submitted a formal letter addressed to the university president.
“Dapat managot ang admin [sa group]. Dapat masakpan na lang jud na sila,” he stated, emphasizing the need for accountability.
Just recently, the group’s visible administrator, Hermen, removed the anonymity feature for all users, meaning all succeeding posts will now bear names. But for Perandos, the damage had already been done. He remains committed to pursuing legal action if necessary, declaring:
“Dili ko mahadlok kay wa man koy sala. Ang mahadlok is kadtong nag-post.”
Despite this, Palermo relies on optimism, continuously supporting his senatorial picks by giving out flyers to fellow Viscans on campus, and continuing to speak up on his social media, asserting that the hate will not affect his political advocacy.
Beyond personal defamation, Perandos pointed to broader systemic issues, including the weaponization of HIV status and the public shaming of individuals based on their political beliefs. He emphasized that identifying the administrator behind the page could lead to better implementation of measures to address these incidents, which he believes expose how Viscans engage online.
The ball is now in the VSU administration court to take steps to foster an environment where students can express themselves freely without fear of harassment or defamation—among the suggestions raised is the potential regulation or even removal of groups such as Storya sa Biska, which have been cited as platforms for harming people’s lives.