'BASTOS' ATTACKS VS WOMEN OPPOSED TO MARCOS
BURIAL NOT FILIPINO: PANGILINAN

MANILA - The online sexual assault of women who protested against the stealthily held burial of the late dictator at the national heroes' cemetery is not Filipino, said Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan Tuesday.

"Sobrang bastos ng mga atake sa kanila. Hindi ganyan ang karaniwang lalaking Pilipino. Magalang tayo. Mapagmahal. Tawag nga sa ating mga Pilipino minsan ay mama's boy dahil ang paggalang na pinapakita natin sa kababaihan ay nakaugat sa ating pagmamahal sa ating mga nanay (The attacks against them are too much. Those attacks do not reflect the behavior of the average Filipino man. We are respectful. We are loving. Sometimes we Filipino men are called mama's boy because our respect for women are rooted in our love for our moms)," said Pangilinan, who himself has been called names for expressing his indignation at the brazen disregard of truth and history.

The acting Liberal Party president expressed his support for the #TakeNoShit campaign on Facebook and Twitter of Ateneo de Manila University instructor Nathania Chua after sexually degrading comments were made online on women who joined protest actions on November 18 when the remains of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos were buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Pangilinan said name-calling, slut-shaming, and other gender-based remarks have been the chosen form of attack by those who cannot defend their positions.

He noted the same type of attacks on Vice President Leni Robredo as well as on his colleagues at the Senate, Senators Risa Hontiveros and Leila de Lima.

"Hindi tama ang ganun. Kung hindi tayo sumasang-ayon sa mga sinabi ng iba, bigay natin ang ating argumento. Huwag tayong magmurahan. Nakakababa ng pagkatao ito (That is not right. If we don't agree with others' statements, let's give our own arguments. Let's not cuss each other. It is degrading)," he said.