MANILA — An emerging voice on Twitter with her candid statements about love on one hand and political issues on the other, Jennylyn Mercado defended Monday her being critical of the government as she addressed those who “hinder someone from speaking their mind.”

Mercado, 33, has been active on the social media platform in recent weeks, airing her take on the government response to the coronavirus pandemic, the forced shutdown of ABS-CBN, and the recent State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte, among others.

Numerous times, Mercado would answer followers who would question her being outspoken on politics, as she did again on Monday, but without specifying whom she was replying to.

“The moment you hinder someone from speaking their mind to is the moment you failed to respect the rights of your fellow Filipino,” she wrote.

The moment you hinder someone from speaking their mind to is the moment you failed to respect the rights of your Fellow Filipino...

— jennylyn mercado (@MercadoJen) August 3, 2020

Mercado, who made her showbiz breakthrough in 2003, asked whether one has to be “qualified” to air their sentiments on national issues.

“May qualification ba dapat bago ka magkaro'n ng karapatan na magkomento sa mga isyung panlipunan? Hindi ba sapat na mamayan ka ng Pilipinas at nagbabayad ka ng buwis? Bakit kung kailan pandemya na lahat tayo ay apektado saka ang iba ay pilit na pinatatahimik?” she wrote.

“Naguguluhan na ako. Bakit parang nakalimutan ng ibang tao irespeto ang iba kahit iba ang opinyon nila? Hindi ba 'yun ang isa sa mga unang tinuturo ng ating mga magulang?”