MANILA - The executive vice president of the University of the Philippines said Monday he stepped down from his post after being trolled on social media.

"I resigned because a troll army attacked me and it created a maelstrom of hate," Dr. Teodoro Herbosa told ANC.

He resigned amid online backlash over his tweet on a community pantry, which he admitted was condescending and tasteless.

He wrote on Twitter, "Death by 'community pantry'. I told you so!" in reaction to a senior citizen who died while waiting in line at a community pantry organized by actress Angel Locsin in Holy Spirit, Quezon City.

"I apologized publicly for that. Unfortunately, there are what we call misinformation and disinformation that happens out there. People have taken everything out of context. Took only the 8 words. Posted it and shared it and demean by personality," Herbosa said.

He stressed there were prior tweets before that, asking for help due to a large crowd at Locsin's community pantry.

• Teodoro Herbosa leaves post as UP Vice President after online flak

Herbosa also clarified he was not against food pantries.

"I am not against anything that is about bayanihan or about helping people have a meal for the day. But I am against violating public health standards, which the government has been trying to impose for everybody's welfare so that we could beat the transmission of the virus," he said.

Herbosa, a former Health undersecretary, said no one could have died unnecessarily.

"I felt bad as a disaster expert to look at a crowd called to a particular place without preparation leading to the death of an innocent person," he said.

He added, "I do not condone the act of helping people but I think there's a limit to what you do when you help people. No one must die unnecessarily."

Herbosa said he would continue to serve as special adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19.

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