House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal Party List Representative Leila de Lima criticized Vice President Sara Duterte for her perceived silence on remarks made by two lawmakers she described as “misogynistic” and “disrespectful” to women.
In a privilege speech before the House plenary on Monday, De Lima said silence on such issues “effectively disrespects women.”
She branded the two lawmakers as “mambabatas na mambabastos”—one congressman who admitted feeling “desire” upon seeing an actress in public, and a senator who asked a female athlete if she had a “Filipino boyfriend,” even joking that a married colleague “might want to apply.”
“Walang paggalang sa babae. Wala ring respeto sa sariling tungkulin. Ang masama, they dismiss their foul comments as humor or political banter,” De Lima said, noting that the lawmakers ignored existing laws and policies such as the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Magna Carta of Women, and the Safe Spaces Act.
She then turned her criticism toward Duterte:
“There is a kind of leader, who does not talk, but her silence effectively disrespects women, while diminishing her own office. She keeps quiet, yet her silence already speaks volume. Kahit sya mismo ay babae, kahit sya mismo ang pangalawang pinakamataas na opisyal ng ating bansa, sa gitna ito ng lantaran at tahasang pambabastos sa kababaihan.”
De Lima linked the remarks of Quezon City 4th District Representative Bong Suntay and controversial lawyer Ferdinand Topacio to the impeachment complaint against Duterte, suggesting they were made in her defense.
“‘Yan siguro ang paraan nila ng pagdepensa kay VP Sara. Gets po natin ‘yan, kahit bastos sila. Ang hindi natin gets ay kung bakit si VP Sara ay naaatim na manahimik kahit inaalipusta na ang mga babaeng gaya niya. Dahil ba sa kakampi niya ang nagsalita? Dahil ba ang mga sinabi ay sa konteksto ng pagtatanggol sa kanya? Isn’t the dignity of women far more important to her than personal or partisan interests? Isn’t decency in public discourse weightier than political theatrics in pursuit of presidential ambition?” she asked.