TIAONG, Quezon--UniTeam Senate slate member Herbert Bautista is used to roasting and teasing his fellow senatoriables in his campaign speeches during sorties. On Wednesday, March 23, Bautista got a taste of his own medicine.
This, after a local woman mentioned the name of his old flame in front of a jampacked Tiaong Convention center here, the site of a UniTeam "mini-rally".
Bautista was chilling on stage when UniTeam vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio took the microphone and invited a local resident for a sort of "challenge". The task is for the contestant to name all 12 administration Senate slate members without using crib notes.
Sure enough, the unnamed female contestant was able to enumerate the names of the UniTeam "senatorianbles". She gave a special description when it was Bautista's term to be mentioned in the roll cal.
"Ang napaka-poging si sir Herbert Bautista, na ex ni Kris Aquino (And next we have the very handsome Herbert Bautista, the ex of Kris Aquino)," the contestant said, triggering laughter from both the audience and the people on stage, including Bautista.
Acknowledging that it was quite a bold thing to say out in public, the woman said, "Matatapang po talaga mga taga-Tiaong, walang inuurungan (Tiaong natives are courageous, they don't back down from anyone)," she said.
Kris Aquino is a popular movie and showbiz personality like Bautista. She is the sister of the late former president Benigno S. Aquino III, predecessor of President Duterte.
Mayor Duterte's reaction to the quick-witted contestant? "Wala akong masabi doon ha (I'm speechless)," she said.
Before putting Bautista on the spot, the contestant pleaded to UniTeam presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos for her to see Simon, one of the latter's sons, who--along with aspiring Ilocos Norte congressman Sandro Marcos--has developed quite a following in this campaign season.
"Sige dadalhin namin sa susunod (OK we will bring him next time)," Mayor Duterte replied.
The contestant also sang the "Bagong Lipunan" UniTeam campaign song on stage before taking on the lady mayor's challenge, which see completed.