SCREENGRAB FROM RAFFY TIMA’S FACEBOOK PAGE
A reporter for GMA-7 called out President-elect Rodrigo Duterte for disrespecting his wife, also a journalist, during Tuesday’s press conference.
In a post on his Facebook page on Wednesday titled “Catcalling My Wife Is Wrong In So Many Levels,” Raffy Tima said that Duterte catcalling his wife Mariz Umali on national television is “wrong in so many levels.”
Tima expressed his dismay, saying that for someone who holds the highest post in the land, what Duterte did “defies logic.”
“I expected that from a Mayor Duterte. I know his reputation well enough not to be shocked by it, but that does not make it right. For someone who espouses leadership by example, catcalling anyone in a press conference with all cameras trained on him defies logic. Then again, that’s Mayor Duterte,” Tima said.
He also slammed those who laughed and egged Duterte on by further teasing his wife.
“What appalled me even more was how some people in the room reacted. Most laughed, others made teasing noise and basically urged the mayor to dish some more! And he did. I do hope none of them were journalists because if they were, shame on them,” he said.
Tima said that people should not tolerate what the mayor did.
“When you see or hear anyone say something wrong you do not encourage it, you do the opposite. Or in that particular instance at least, they should have kept [quiet] and in their silence gave the message that what the mayor did was wrong.”
“Some jokes are funny and should be laughed at… but disrespecting women is definitely not one of them,” he said.
Tima’s post has gone viral, garnering more than 4,600 shares as of posting time.
In her response, Umali told her husband that despite Duterte’s actions, she remained firm and composed.
“Thank you so much mahal. Admittedly, I was surprised with President Duterte’s response to my question. However, I tried to understand him based on what I know about him, kept my composure and insisted on my answer, which I got. Thank u for this,” she said.
During the press conference last Tuesday, Umali asked Duterte: “Mr. President, how will you deal with Cabinet members who are non-performing? Will you be giving them a deadline?”
The President-elect said “Nagpapapansin ka talaga sa akin (You’re really trying to catch my attention),” then made a wolf whistle. People in the audience can be heard laughing and cheering.
Umali just smiled and said, “Mr. President, can I get an answer please?” To which Duterte answered with a song.
She then repeated the question and that was the time that the mayor answered.
In the same press conference, Duterte made a sweeping statement that journalists who are corrupt deserved to die.
READ: Duterte triggers outrage
In Quezon City, catcalling women and subjecting them to gestures that supposedly extol their looks in public but are actually demeaning, such as wolf whistles, are now considered crimes under the city’s amended gender and development code. Other acts punishable under the anti-catcalling ordinance include stalking, making offensive hand or mouth gestures aimed at demeaning women, cursing and taunting a woman with talk about sex. AJH/CDG/rga
READ: In QC, wolf whistles can land you in jail