Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin (left), former Biliran lone district Rep. Glenn Chong (PPAB, Facebook)

House Majority Leader Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin castigated former Biliran lone district Rep. Glenn Chong for the disrespectful remarks he made in public about First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos. 

"Nagugulat ako doon sa demeanor ni Atty. Glenn Chong (I am shocked by the demeanor of lawyer Glenn Chong)," Garin said in a press conference Thursday, March 14 at the House of Representatives. 

She was referring to Chong's statement during the recent pro-Apollo Quiboloy prayer rally in Manila wherein he said he would "slap" the First Lady. 

"Medyo pangit talaga tingnan bilang isang lalaki, Women’s Month pa naman ngayon (It's not a good look, as a man. We're celebrating Women’s Month right now)," Garin said in her usual, motherly tone. 

"Kasi nung pinalaki ako ng aking mga magulang, ang pagkaintindi ko tayong mga Filipino tinuturuan tayo na habang tayo ay lumalaki nandoon parin ang respeto," she said. 

(When I was raised by my parents, I learned that we Filipinos still observe as we grow up.) 

"The ranking congresswoman says that while there are many ways to express one's anger, violence is frowned upon as it sets "a bad example to our children". 

"Yung pinapakita mong demeanor sa mga kabataang Pilipino ay hindi maganda. Parang sinasabi mo na tuloy sa mga bata, OK, natural lang na manampal ka, may rason man o wala mang rason," Garin told Chong. 

(The demeanor that you showed the Filipino youth wasn't good. It's as if you're telling the children, OK, it's natural for you to slap someone, whether or not you have a reason to.) 

Garin further said: "Coming from a professional, from a lawyer, medyo nakakagulat (It's shocking)...it does not only bring down the dignity of women. It also brings down the dignity of Filipino professionals." 

"Kasi hindi ka nandodoon bilang isang tao lamang. Nanduon ka bilang isang former official and you are there as a lawyer," she pointed out. 

(It's because you were there not just as a person. You were there also as a former official and you are there as a lawyer.)