By Filane Mikee Cervantes
MANILA – LGBTQ+ rights group Bahaghari on Tuesday criticized Vice President Sara Duterte’s “‘wag kayong bakla (don’t be gay)” remark while talking to Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel, labeling it “derogatory” and distracting from pressing issues regarding her office’s use of confidential funds.
“Napakalinaw derogatory po ang statement na pinakita ni VP Sara Duterte. Hindi po insulto ang pagiging bakla. Marangal ang pagiging bakla (The statement made by VP Sara Duterte is clearly derogatory. Being gay is not an insult. Being gay is honorable),” Bahaghari chairperson Reyna Valmores-Salinas said in a Radyo Pilipinas interview.
Duterte made the remark during an incident where Office of the Vice President (OVP) chief of staff Zuleika Lopez collapsed and was being transferred to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMCC) over the weekend.
Valmores-Salinas argued that Duterte’s remarks were not casual but a deliberate attempt to demean.
“Alam ko po marami sa atin sasabihin ang salitang bakla as an endearment pero malinaw na ginamit niya ito out of frustration na kapag ikaw ay duwag, o na kapag ikaw ay sunod-sunuran ibig sabihin ba noon bakla? Hindi po iyon totoo (I know many of us use the term ‘bakla’ as an endearment, but it was clear that she used it out of frustration—as if being cowardly or submissive means being gay. That’s not true).” Valmores-Salinas said. “Alam natin matatapang at mahuhusay ang mga bakla (We know that gay people are brave and talented).”
Valmores-Salinas said the insult lies not in being part of the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) community but in the conduct of certain public officials who lack accountability.
“Kung meron man pong nakakainsulto, hindi po iyon ang pagiging miyembro ng LGBT community kundi ang pagiging isang pulitiko, isang elected official na hindi kayang sagutin ang mga simpleng tanong ng mga mamamayan kung nasaan na napunta ang pera (If there is anything insulting, it is not being a member of the LGBT community but being a politician, an elected official who cannot answer simple questions from the people about where the money went),” Valmores-Salinas said.
‘Trapo’ behavior
Valmores-Salinas further described Duterte’s behavior as typical of “trapo”, a Filipino term for traditional politicians often associated with corruption or insincerity.
“May tawag po tayo doon sa mga pulitiko na pagdating sa halalan sasabihin nila kunwari ‘pinaglalaban ka namin’, ‘kasama ka sa programa namin’ pero sa gawa iba naman pala yung pinapakita ang tawag po doon trapo (We have a term for those politicians who, when it comes to elections, pretend to say ‘we are fighting for you,’ ‘you are part of our program,’ but in reality, their actions show otherwise. We call them trapo),” Valmores-Salinas said.
Valmores-Salinas noted the contradiction in Duterte’s statement, as she has previously claimed to be part of the LGBTQ+ community and expressed support for it.
“Unfortunately, kahit gaano po natin balibaliktarin, pagiging trapo, trapo behavior ang pinapakita ni VP Sara lalong lalo na sa mga myembro ng LGBT community na pinangakuan niya noong panahon ng eleksyon (Unfortunately, no matter how we turn it around, VP Sara is showing trapo behavior, especially towards the members of the LGBT community whom she promised [to support] during the election),” Valmores-Salinas said.
Valmores-Salinas said Duterte should answer to the public regarding her handling of PHP300 million in confidential funds, instead of employing “theatrics” that divert the public from the real issue.
“Napakasimple lang po ang bottomline tinatanong ng taong bayan si VP Sara: saan napunta ang PHP300 million na confidential funds na pinagkaloob sa kanya ng mamamayan? Hindi po masagot ng maayos (The bottom line is simple: the people are asking VP Sara where the PHP 300 million in confidential funds allocated to her went. She cannot answer properly),” Valmores-Salinas said.
Filing of charges
Valmores-Salinas further disclosed as spokesperson of the Makabayan coalition that they are preparing to file criminal complaints against Duterte.
“Sa kasalukuyan po (Currently), we are at the preparatory stage for filing a complaint officially against Vice President Sara Duterte. Hindi na po puwedeng palampasin ito. Harap-harapan na po ang katiwalian at pagnanakaw sa atin. Lampas pa ito sa usapang pagiging sensitive ng mga LGBT. Ito po ay usapan ng pagiging matapat bilang isang government official (This cannot be ignored. This is blatant corruption and theft from us. This goes beyond the issue of sensitivity toward the LGBT. This is a matter of being honest as a government official),” Valmores-Salinas said.
Valmores-Salinas said the coalition supports the filing of charges of graft and corruption and has called for Duterte’s impeachment.
“Naniniwala po kami na kaya naman nangyayari ang katiwalian na ito dahil siya ay nasa poder, siya ay nasa authority (We believe that this corruption happens because she is in power, she is in authority),” Valmores-Salinas said.
“Kaya nararapat lang na magkaroon na talaga ng panawagan para sa impeachment ni Vice President Sara Duterte (That’s why it is only right to call for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte),” Valmores-Salinas added.
Let legal action run its course
Lawmakers from the House of Representatives, meanwhile, reiterated that the congressional inquiry into the vice president’s alleged misuse of confidential funds will continue unabated, while legal actions against Duterte for her threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other officials are running its course.
Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon underscored the importance of addressing both the legal and congressional investigations.
“This will undergo a regular process,” he said.
As investigations from the executive and legislative branches progress, Bongalon reiterated the House’s commitment to holding public officials accountable.
“Ang mahalaga po dito ay ang pagsunod sa batas at pagtiyak na ang pera ng bayan ay ginagamit ng tama (The important thing here is abiding by the law and ensuring that public funds are used judiciously),” Bongalon said. (PNA)