OVERHEARD: Junglegate: More alleged misconduct by older male authors surfaces

The canceled republication of Alfred “Krip” Yuson’s novel has prompted more young writers to speak out.

The planned republication of Alfred “Krip” Yuson’s Great Philippine Jungle Energy Café by Exploding Galaxies ignited a firestorm—and was eventually canceled.

But if anything, Junglegate has brought more accounts of alleged misconduct by older men in Philippine literary circles into public view.

A Sept. 10 Facebook post points to a literary figure in Albay in Bicol, accusing him of years of inappropriate behavior toward women—and claiming that people who experienced it chose to stay quiet because he was influential.

The poster also alleged that the literary figure would confront people who talked about their experiences, supposedly reminding them of his awards, books, connections, and reputation.

The post called out schools and cultural institutions for continuing to invite the writer as a speaker, resource person, or guest of honor. It tagged the Commission on Higher Education Regional Office V, the Provincial Tourism, Culture and Arts Office of Albay, and the Ibalong Festival, asking why they continue to be an “enabler.”

The author also shared screenshots of the writer’s own public Facebook posts over the years. They include jokes comparing women’s nipples with onions and kalamansi, a meme about staring at women’s chests supposedly extending one’s lifespan, posts featuring women in revealing clothing, and a post about seeing women “clearer” through the ability to “undress anyone in my mind.”

The post comes after several writers and former workshop participants shared their own accounts amid Junglegate.

Gian Lao has described unwanted sexual advances from a senior workshop panelist when he was a 22-year-old fellow at the 2010 Silliman University Writers Workshop.

Marguerite Alcazaren De Leon has described alleged grooming, sexual harassment, blackmail, and an attempted rape involving men in literary circles when she was in her early 20s.

Irene Sarmiento has also recounted an incident of unwanted attention at an awards event when she was 20.

Poet Ramil Digal Gulle has called on writing workshops to take a harder look at the people they put in positions of power over young writers. He urged organizers to “seriously vet” panelists beyond their “brilliance, artistry, or expertise,” including for possible “predatory behavior towards young writers who are at the weak side of their power relations.”

He also proposed clearer rules for panelists, including no inviting fellows into their rooms or beds, no private one-on-one encounters involving alcohol or other mind-altering substances, and no flirtatious, sexually charged, or suggestive messages.

He called for formal agreements establishing boundaries and clear penalties when panelists violate them.

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