Sotto claps back: ‘When people resort to personal attacks, they lost the debate’

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto on Friday took a swipe at his critics, saying “they have lost the debate” once they use personal attacks while trying to make their case.

In his Instagram post on Friday, the legislator neither mentioned any name nor what particular issue was he referring to but his latest remarks in relation to the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) bill have earned him rebuke.

“When people resort to personal attacks, it means they have lost the debate! (lol),” Sotto wrote.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2DEt1ilcMW/

Sotto recently became the subject of criticism of netizens following his statement saying a man will never be a woman because of their inability to give birth and their absence of ovaries.

“If you are a man, you will never be a woman no matter what you do. Because you cannot reproduce, you cannot give birth, you do not have ovaries. You will never be a woman,” Sotto earlier said.

READ: Sotto: A man will never become a woman

One of his critics was comedian-actor Vice Ganda, who chided Sotto for such pronouncement about women.

“Joke po ba ito Hon. Senate President Tito Sotto??? Sinasabi nyo po ba na naniniwala kayo na ang pagiging BABAE ay nasusukat lamang sa pagkakaroon ng obaryo o matris at sa kakayahan lang na mabuntis o magka-anak?” Vice Ganda wrote in an Instagram post Thursday.

READ: Vice Ganda chides Sotto: Some people fake feminism to hide their misogyny

The Senate recently held public hearings on the controversial SOGIE bill filed by Senator Risa Hontiveros.

The proposed measure seeks to penalize discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. /kga