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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Paolo Marcoleta gets misgendered, then botches Piolo Pascual line in impeachment hearing

Paolo Marcoleta gets misgendered, then botches Piolo Pascual line in impeachment hearing

Published Apr 29, 2026 01:08 pm

At A Glance

  • During the House impeachment hearing on Vice President Sara Duterte, Rep. Paolo Marcoleta was misgendered by Justice Committee chair Rep. Gerville Luistro, who later corrected herself.
  • Marcoleta urged the panel to open a box of BIR records but misattributed the famous line "I deserve an explanation, I deserve an acceptable reason," confusing Piolo Pascual with John Lloyd Cruz's character Popoy.
  • Rep. Perci Cendaña clarified that the quote came from Pascual in Starting Over Again, not from Popoy in One More Chance.
SAGIP Party-list Rep. Paolo Marcoleta (left), Piolo Pascual (Facebook)
SAGIP Party-list Rep. Paolo Marcoleta (left), Piolo Pascual (Facebook)


SAGIP Party-list Rep. Paolo Marcoleta was misgendered and then personally misattributed a popular quote from actor Piolo Pascual in one fell swoop Wednesday, April 29 during the House Committee on Justice's impeachment hearing on Vice President Sara Duterte.
It all started when justice panel chairperson, Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro recognized Marcoleta, who wanted to make a manifestation during Wednesday's proceedings.
But Luistro inexplicably referred to him as a "her".
Marcoleta was about to speak when Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. raised a point of order on the question of gender.
"I would just like to find out if he is a she or a he... madam chair I would just like to make it clear... because you said twice, 'her'. So I would like to find out if she is a she or a he," Abante said.
"He is he, I stand corrected," answered Luistro, in reference to the neophyte solon from SAGIP.
"We are addressing now Honorable Marcoleta as he, him, his, and the chair therefore stands corrected," Luistro added.
To this, Marcoleta said: "Thank you for that clarification Bishop Abante. Ewan ko kung--is that Germaine to this hearing? Anyway."
The administration critic went on to give his opinion as to whether or not the panel should open a green box containing the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) records of the impeachment respondent, Vice President Duterte.
Marcoleta then tried ro make a pop culture reference, but didn't quite hit the mark as he confused Pascual with the character of another popular Filipino actor, John Lloyd Cruz.
"So I dare the committee to open the box, with the caveat--siguraduhin niyo po na hindi kayo nakalalabag sa batas. At sinabi rin po ni Popoy sa pelikula, 'I deserve an explanation, I deserve an acceptable reason,'" he said.
(So I dare the committee to open the box, with the caveat—make sure you are not violating the law. And as Popoy said in the movie, ‘I deserve an explanation, I deserve an acceptable reason.')
"Siguraduhin niyo po na kung bubuksan niyo yan, mayroon po kayong acceptable reaaon na naayon sa batas (Make sure that if you open it, you have an acceptable reason that is in accordance with the law)," added Marcoleta, who was still oblivious to his mistake.
After a brief lull, Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña took it upon himself to correct his confused colleague and said: "Pasensya na po kayo, alam ko pong hinihintay ng taumbayan yung pagbubukas ng kahon, pero may nabanggit po kasi kanina na Popoy and Basha na line po si Representative Marcoleta."
(Please forgive me, I know the people are waiting for the opening of the box, but Representative Marcoleta earlier mentioned a Popoy and Basha line.)
"Inattribute po niya yung e'xplanation, deserve an explaination' kay Popoy. Hindi po siya kay Popoy. Linawin ko lang po, ito po ay kay Papa P., kay Piolo Pascual sa pelikulang Starting Over Again," Cendaña said.
(He attributed the ‘explanation, deserve an explanation’ to Popoy. It is not from Popoy. Let me clarify, this is from Papa P., Piolo Pascual in the film Starting Over Again.)
He then put a bow on the showbiz-themed sidetalk of the impeachment proceedings amd remarkes: "And i hope that as we decide on this matter, this will not led us to starting over again."
Starting Over Again is a 2014 film starring Pascual and Toni Gonzaga, while Popoy and Basha--portrayed by John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo--are iconic fictional characters from the film One More Chance in 2007.
There was a 2025 sequel, A Second Chance.
Rep. Marcoleta, son of Senator Rodante Marcoleta, didn't have a reply for Cendaña.

Related Tags

Piolo Pascual Paolo Marcoleta John Lloyd Cruz Popoy and Basha Starting Over Again One More Chance
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