Manila City Mayor and aspiring president Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso shocked the LGBTQ community after he “joked” that his son Joaquin is available for “booking.”
In a sortie held in Butuan City, Moreno jest, “Sa ating mga LGBT! Mamaya ireregalo ko sa inyo si Joaquin. Libre ang booking. Pero tingin lang at ‘wag kakainin.”
His statement drew criticism from personalities and netizens as they consider it insensitive and appalling.
https://twitter.com/laruuuhhh/status/1516418477816676359
https://twitter.com/MylesTheGreat10/status/1516341431685713922
https://twitter.com/reeselordi/status/1516307153727893506
A Twitter personality was disgusted with the mayor’s perception that LGBTQ members were all lustful.
“Ganyan ata talaga ang tingin ni Isko sa ibang miyembro ng LGBT community, booking lang ang hanap. Ganyan kababa.”
Isko: “Sa ating mga LGBT, mamaya ireregalo ko sainyo si Joaquin. Libre ang booking.”
Ganyan ata talaga ang tingin ni Isko sa ibang miyembro ng LGBT community, booking lang ang hanap. Ganyan ka baba.
— ricci (@ricci_richy) April 18, 2022
Some even called it a “desperate move” from Isko.
Eh yung sobrang desperado mo na, pati sarili mong anak, ibubugaw mo na. WTH! Anong tingin mo sa mga LGBT? Fuck you, Isko! https://t.co/yARTLREwVw
— Terio García (@terio_garcia) April 19, 2022
https://twitter.com/baeconraunch/status/1516367970586738690
Although it was supposed to be a joke, a netizen expressed that it was irritable for the mayor to make such a statement.
Though pabiro ito pero nakaka imbyerna lang… https://t.co/Vudnk5VrK8
— Roderick Sebastian (@sweetiepotch) April 19, 2022
A netizen sees it as Moreno’s way of using the LGBTQ community for his candidacy, given that he once left some of its members in jail after they were arrested back in June 2020.
https://twitter.com/_xvrgrc/status/1516350882677329923
Moreno even received a demand that he show some respect to the community.
https://twitter.com/cnjrmgnt/status/1516306039070617602
For some, his joke was another red flag.
Red flags
1. Use LGBTQ+ for political gains
2. Term "booking" is discrimanatory
3. To offer your son for "free booking"
even as a joke is tasteless#SwitchToIsko #SwitchToLeni https://t.co/sxpQYNVWIO— Sara Rainmaker (@IceLady23) April 19, 2022
Meanwhile, a netizen expressed her sympathy for Joaquin because of his father’s behavior.
https://twitter.com/wahu_NiBarney/status/1516282832972251136
Moreno was also criticized for encouraging Vice President Leni Robredo to withdraw her candidacy. He was also condemned for blaming the latter’s camp for his viral photo with another presidential bet Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
