By Hannah Torregoza
Some senators on Tuesday said they see nothing wrong with President Rodrigo Duterte’s actions as they weighed on the issue whether it was appropriate for President Rodrigo Duterte to kiss on the lips an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in South Korea where he is on a three-day official state visit.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian compared Duterte’s act to that of artists who already are married but agree to a “kissing scene” for a movie or a TV show.
In this video from PTV taken Sunday, June 3, 2018, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte leans in to kiss a Filipino worker at the podium during a town hall-style meeting with overseas Filipino workers in Seoul, South Korea. (PTV via AP / MANILA BULLETIN)
As far as he is concerned, there was “mutual consent” and that no one was hurt during the ‘incident’ between President Duterte and Mrs. Bea Kim.
“Sa story at sa video na nakita ko, parang nag-agree naman silang dalawa na gawin yun. Wala naman nasaktan at pumayag naman sila sa isa’t isa (Based on the story and the video I saw, I think both parties agreed to do it. Nobody was hurt and both consented),” Gatchalian told reporters in an interview.
“I would like to compare this to mga artista na may asawa (who are married) but they also have kissing scenes in their movies and TV shows,” he said.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros earlier slammed Duterte’s move saying it was “a despicable display of sexism and grave abuse of authority.”
“President Duterte acted like a feudal king who thinks that being the President is an entitlement to do anything that he pleases,” Hontiveros stressed.
In an interview, Sen. Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV echoed Hontiveros sentiment saying he too was shocked with the President’s behavior even if the woman consented.
“Just because you can do it, does that mean you should do it? So I’m hoping again, like many of our countrymen, sana itigil na yung ganitong klaseng ginagawa. (I hope we put a stop to this kind of actions),” he said.
“And ako ho, bilang isang tatay, dalawa anak ko na babae. Kahit ako po, nakita ko yung video, hindi naging maganda yung reaction ko po dito. Gaya po ng marami sa atin (As a father, my two children are female, after watching the video, I really do not like what I saw. Like the others who also saw this video and did not like it),” he said.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, likewise, raised questions over the President’s move even though the ‘kiss’ was consensual based on the video footages they saw.
“Obviously, they accomplished the purpose based on the laughter and giggle from the women in the audience. Question is, does that make it right and appropriate? I don't think so if we consider the status of both parties,” Lacson pointed out in a text message.
“The woman is married to a Korean, the man is a president of the Philippines who is on a state visit to Korea. If it was a movie comedian onstage, people won't mind at all,” he said.
In this video from PTV taken Sunday, June 3, 2018, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte leans in to kiss a Filipino worker at the podium during a town hall-style meeting with overseas Filipino workers in Seoul, South Korea. (PTV via AP / MANILA BULLETIN)
As far as he is concerned, there was “mutual consent” and that no one was hurt during the ‘incident’ between President Duterte and Mrs. Bea Kim.
“Sa story at sa video na nakita ko, parang nag-agree naman silang dalawa na gawin yun. Wala naman nasaktan at pumayag naman sila sa isa’t isa (Based on the story and the video I saw, I think both parties agreed to do it. Nobody was hurt and both consented),” Gatchalian told reporters in an interview.
“I would like to compare this to mga artista na may asawa (who are married) but they also have kissing scenes in their movies and TV shows,” he said.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros earlier slammed Duterte’s move saying it was “a despicable display of sexism and grave abuse of authority.”
“President Duterte acted like a feudal king who thinks that being the President is an entitlement to do anything that he pleases,” Hontiveros stressed.
In an interview, Sen. Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV echoed Hontiveros sentiment saying he too was shocked with the President’s behavior even if the woman consented.
“Just because you can do it, does that mean you should do it? So I’m hoping again, like many of our countrymen, sana itigil na yung ganitong klaseng ginagawa. (I hope we put a stop to this kind of actions),” he said.
“And ako ho, bilang isang tatay, dalawa anak ko na babae. Kahit ako po, nakita ko yung video, hindi naging maganda yung reaction ko po dito. Gaya po ng marami sa atin (As a father, my two children are female, after watching the video, I really do not like what I saw. Like the others who also saw this video and did not like it),” he said.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, likewise, raised questions over the President’s move even though the ‘kiss’ was consensual based on the video footages they saw.
“Obviously, they accomplished the purpose based on the laughter and giggle from the women in the audience. Question is, does that make it right and appropriate? I don't think so if we consider the status of both parties,” Lacson pointed out in a text message.
“The woman is married to a Korean, the man is a president of the Philippines who is on a state visit to Korea. If it was a movie comedian onstage, people won't mind at all,” he said.