Senator Jinggoy Estrada asks an athlete if she has a Filipino boyfriend. The web is just not amused. 

(1st UPDATE) Estrada says there was ‘completely nothing malicious’ in his query towards an athlete throughout a Senate listening to

Mambabatas, mambabastos? After Bong Suntay, it’s Jinggoy Estrada’s flip to make inappropriate feedback that social media customers should not taking kindly.  

The general public outcry in opposition to Quezon Metropolis congressman Suntay has but to die down after he publicly urged having a sexual fantasy about actress Anne Curtis. But, right here comes Estrada making inappropriate jokes in a legislative listening to — and is rightfully getting flak for it. 

“You have got Filipino boyfriend?” 

That was his query throughout a listening to of the Senate committee on justice and human rights on Tuesday, March 3. It was directed at American basketball participant and Gilas Ladies prospect Elizabeth Means, whose proposed Filipino citizenship was being tackled on the time. (See Senate Invoice 1594 and HB 5813.)  

The temper was apparently gentle, as different folks within the room might be heard expressing amusement, and Means herself chuckling earlier than replying, “Not (sic) but po.” 

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However that is the Philippines, the place a person asking a girl or a lady if she’s in a relationship is nearly all the time used, or interpreted, to specific curiosity in her. It may make the lady uncomfortable. Or she will seem receptive or tolerant (reminds you of the married girl whom then-president Rodrigo Duterte kissed at an OFW gathering). 

The response doesn’t reduce the intrusiveness of the query. 

Senator Estrada’s followup quip was even worse.

To Means’ no-boyfriend-yet admission, he replied: “Perhaps Senator Pangilinan may need to apply? Sorry kay Sharon.” 

Pangilinan, chairman of the committee, might be heard saying, “Magagalit ’yung commander (The commander will get offended),” referring to his spouse, singer and actress Sharon Cuneta. 

Why attempt to pair up a married man with one other girl? 

Will anybody within the Senate ask that these inappropriate remarks be taken off legislative information? Will Estrada apologize for them? Will he inform the general public we’re overreacting to a joke? 

We don’t find out about him, however final time he was the topic of a supposed joke about corrupt dealings, he was offended and requested that the comment be stricken off the minutes of the listening to. Keep in mind when controversial contractor Curlee Discaya stated he didn’t cope with any senator, and then-Senate blue ribbon chair Rodante Marcoleta turned to Jinggoy and stated, “Secure ka na”? 

‘A nationwide embarrassment’

Estrada’s remarks in the course of the livestreamed session didn’t sit nicely with social media customers, particularly since they have been made throughout Nationwide Ladies’s Month.

Filmmaker Jun Lana posted on X, saying, “When will our leaders understand that their informal sexism is a nationwide embarrassment?”

Ceej Tantengco-Malolos, founding father of Go Laborious Ladies, additionally criticized Estrada, saying, “A 63-year-old creepily asking a 24-year-old about her private life is just not an applicable option to assess this dedication.”

‘Pleasant banter’?

In an announcement on Friday, Estrada stated there was “completely nothing malicious” in his query.

“It was requested in a lightweight and conversational method in the course of the proceedings, particularly since each Ms. Means and Mr. Diouf themselves expressed that they already really feel at residence within the Philippines,” Estrada stated, referring to Maodo “Malick” Diouf, one other basketball participant in search of naturalization.

Estrada stated the query got here to thoughts as a result of Diouf shared throughout his personal listening to that “he already feels at residence within the nation and, in actual fact, has been in a relationship with a Filipina for fairly a while.”

“As for the query directed at Ms. Elizabeth Jeanette Means, it was requested throughout the context of figuring out her causes for in search of naturalization as a Filipino. A part of the committee’s accountability is to know whether or not candidates intend to really make the Philippines their residence — whether or not by settling right here completely and even establishing a household sooner or later.”

Estrada stated it was “merely a pleasant banter” with Pangilinan, the husband of his “expensive good friend” Sharon.

What are your ideas on Estrada’s dialog with Means? Share them within the Gender Equality chat room of the Rappler app. – with reviews from Djulinenne Foster/Rappler.com