Senator Rodante Marcoleta expressed his displeasure after comedian and TV host Vice Ganda made fun of his appearance during a recent ‘Super Divas’ concert with Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez at the Araneta Coliseum.
In the performance, an old, unflattering photo of Vice Ganda was flashed on the big screen, prompting former senator Grace Poe—who was in the audience—to burst out laughing.
Vice then quipped, “Wow, Senator Grace, tawang-tawa. Wow. Sige nga, tingnan mo si Marcoleta, tingnan ko kung matatawa ka,” which drew chuckles from the crowd. He quickly followed up with, “Joke lang po, ngayon pa lang nagso-sorry na ako. I am sorry.”
The remark, however, did not sit well with Marcoleta. Speaking during a Senate joint hearing on online gambling on August 14, the senator recalled the incident and criticized the comedian without directly naming him.
“Pati ako ay kanyang idinawit… Napakawalanghiya nung tao na ‘yon, Mr. Chair. Ayaw ko na pong patusin siya,” he said.
Marcoleta also pointed out that the concert was reportedly sponsored by companies linked to online gambling, brands endorsed by Vice Ganda. A known critic of online gambling, the senator reiterated that celebrity endorsers play a role in the proliferation of gambling in the country.
This is not the first time the two have clashed publicly.
In 2020, Vice Ganda fired back at then-House Deputy Speaker and SAGIP Partylist Rep. Marcoleta after the lawmaker used one of his jokes about Pastor Apollo Quiboloy during ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal hearings. Marcoleta was among the 70 lawmakers who voted to deny the network’s bid for a new franchise.
As of now, Vice Ganda has yet to issue an official statement regarding Marcoleta’s latest remarks.
