- Agot Isidro responded to a statement from SAP Bong Go regarding President Rodrigo Duterte as a protector of Women’s Rights.
- SAP Bong claimed that President Rodrigo had made laws for women.
- However, President Rodrigo had been involved in anti-women issues.
Agot Isidro recently posted a typed-up note from a statement from Special Assistant to President – Christopher “Bong” Go. In the statement, SAP Bong also called President Rodrigo Duterte as a protector of Women’s Rights. Agot disagreed calling it a joke.
President Rodrigo had involved himself in issues regarding disrespecting and objectifying women. In the said statement, SAP Bong wrote that President Rodrigo has high respect for women.
“President Rodrigo Duterte has always been a firm believer and protector of Women’s Rights.
He has high respect for women. In fact, he has pushed for local laws and created programs that uphold women’s rights while he was still mayor of Davao City including the landmark Women Development Code and the creation of the Integrated Gender Development Division of Davao City. Because of these advocacies, Davao City has been recognized as a Gender and Development Local Learning Hub in the Philippines.”
According to SAP Bong, President Rodrigo’s way of expression has been taken out of context.
President Duterte’s way of self-expression has always been taken out of context but, to say that President Duterte is not pro-women and looks down on women is truly unfair. These allegations are clearly political.”
Agot had four words to describe the statement.
“Joke of the day. Ctto @ANCALERTS”
President Rodrigo recently declared that women can’t stand threats and intimidation. This was his response to the #BabaeKa social media campaign against misogyny and sexism in a speech during an inauguration of a bridge on May 24, Thursday, Davao City.
“Sabi ko nga ayaw ko ng babae, eto naman, kami ay mga babae. Mga babae nga kayo so anong problema? I believe in woman, the competence, capability. Pero hindi lahat sa buhay dapat. Hindi. Dapat lang, it’s not appropriate. You cannot stand threats and intimidation.”
President Rodrigo laid down the characteristics he looked for the successor of ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno in May 16, Wednesday. He enumerated what he wanted for the position and mentioned that it should not be a woman.
“Gusto ko ‘yung bilib ang tao sa integrity niya. Of course it could not be a politician, lalo na hindi babae.”
In response, advocacy group Every Woman also released a statement in May 17, Thursday. They continued that his statement reeks of his “well-known misogyny.”
“From the way he sexually harasses the last few women in his official family to this statement that implies that women cannot really have political integrity nor brilliance, Duterte highlights the most disgusting aspects of Philippine machismo.”
Aside from these, President Rodrigo reduced Vice President Leni Robredo to “a pair of nice kness.” He joked about rape in front of the military and ordered soldiers to shoot female rebels in the vagina.
Senator Risa Hontiveros’ office had monitored twenty-three instances where President Rodrigo “anti-women” remarks. According to Senator Risa herself, this contributed in the culture of sexism, gender discrimination and even violence against women.
“His words normalize and reinforce the climate of sexism and misogyny in the country. Similar to how the President’s words inspired and encouraged the wave of killings in the country, his anti-women statements have propelled unprecedented attacks against women.”
