'Nababastos buong Pilipinas': Garin sounds off on Duterte's attacks vs PBBM 

Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin (left), former president Rodrigo Duterte (PPAB, MANILA BULLETIN)

House Deputy Majority Leader Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin made no bones on Thursday, March 14 about what she believed were the possible ill effects of former president Rodrigo Duterte's latest tirade against the Marcos administration. 

Garin was among the solons who held a press conference Thursday, March 14 , at the House of Representatives. 

She was asked to reaction to Duterte's derisive comment wherein he called President Marcos' travels as "pasyal nang pasyal", or indulgence in leisurely travels. 

"Statements like that can actually diminish the respect of other countries to our country," answered Garin. 

"Hindi ang pagkatao ni President BBM (Bongbong Marcos) ang nate-taint eh, ang nababastos ‘yung pagkatao ng buong Pilipinas, ang Filipino," she underscored. 

(It wasn't President BBM's person that was being tainted, it's the entire Philippines, the Filipino, that's being disrespected.) 

Garin, who said that she respected Duterte, went on to give unsolicited but very well-meaning advice to the former chief executive.

“I think with due respect to former President Duterte, minsan kailangan lang na i-decipher kasi even when he was President, sometimes he would make candid jokes, tapos nakakalimutan niya na kaakibat nung kanyang stature, opisyal iyong kanyang nagiging statements. 

(Sometimes you need to decipher him because when he was President, sometimes he would make candid jokes, and then he forgets that along with his stature, his statements become official.)

“Medyo kailangan ilugar iyong ibang mga jokes...But in the context of tama ba o hindi ba, although karapatan niya iyon, baka nagpapatawa siya. Pero iyong bigger impact kasi is not good," explained the deputy majority leader. 

(The jokes need to put on their proper place...But in the context of whether or not it's correct, although that's his right, maybe he's just trying to make people laugh. But it's bigger impact isn't good.)

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Garin cited examples of other former Philippine presidents who exercised discretion in their public statements, opting for diplomatic language over jokes. 

“If you look at former presidents Erap Estrada, FVR (Fidel V. Ramos), the late PNoy (President Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino III), even our colleague here, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, iyong kanilang mga personal na jokes ay hindi nila sinasabi sa publiko at kung mayroon silang mga personal na pananaw, they will make it sure that they would release diplomatic statements,” she said. 

(They don't utter their personal jokes out in public, and if they have personal opinions, they will make it sure that they would release diplomatic statements.) 

“So, iyan lang ‘yung sana medyo mabago ito kasi pwede siyang naging nakakatawa doon sa mga kaharap mo pero dahil ‘pag lumabas siya sa general public, through media, iba ‘yung dating,” Garin said.

(So that's what should be changed, because while it can be funny to the people in front of you, it's impact changes when it's released to the general public through media.)