Kinondena ni dating Sen. Leila de Lima si Davao de Oro Rep. Ruwel Peter Gonzaga kaugnay sa naging talumpati nito na ginagamit pa bilang “punchline” ang mga kababaihan.
Sa isang Facebook post, kinondena ni De Lima ang maliit na pagtingin sa mga babae at paggamit sa mga ito bilang joke, aniya, ang ganitong mga pag atake ay “dangerous mindset” at “broken political culture”.
“As a woman public figure, I am deeply appalled and angered by the degrading remarks made by Davao de Oro Rep. Ruwel Peter Gonzaga,” sabi ni De Lima.
Sinabi ni De Lima na ang mga sexist na “jokes” ng kongresista ay palatandaan at maituturing na pang-aabuso sa kapangyarihan.
“His sexist ‘jokes’ are not merely inappropriate—they are symptomatic of a broken political culture that continues to treat women as objects, not as equal citizens. This is not just about words. This is about power—and how some choose to abuse it,” dagdag pa nito.
Si Gonzaga, na tumatakbo para sa mas mataas na posisyon at miyembro ng Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), ay umani ng batikos dahil sa paulit-ulit na paggamit ng bastos at misogynistic na pananalita.
Ayon kay De Lima, ang ganitong asal ay “undermines the dignity of women, and weakens the very foundations of respectful, democratic leadership.”
“For someone who sits in Congress, and now seeks higher office under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Gonzaga’s repeated use of vulgar, misogynistic language reflects a dangerous mindset. One that undermines the dignity of women, and weakens the very foundations of respectful, democratic leadership,” giit pa ni de Lima.
“This is exactly why we fight for Justice and Reform. Because when leaders belittle women for sport, when they make light of harassment, or turn misogyny into entertainment, they reveal how far we still are from a government that truly serves all.” paliwanag pa nito.
Iginiit rin ng dating senador ang kahalagahan ng moralidad sa pamumuno.
“Leadership is not about drawing laughs from a crowd—it’s about drawing the line between what is right and what is wrong. It’s about protecting those who are often unheard, unseen, and unrepresented,” giit nito.
Nanawagan si De Lima sa mambabatas na humingi ng paumanhin—hindi lamang sa mga kababaihang kanyang minaliit, kundi sa buong sambayanang Pilipino.
“I call on Rep. Gonzaga to issue a public apology—not just to the women he disrespected, but to all Filipinos who believe in a politics anchored on respect, fairness, and human dignity,” pahayag pa nito.
Hinimok din ni De Lima si Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., bilang pinuno ng Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, na disiplinahin si Gonzaga.
“I also call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as leader of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, to discipline his party-mate. As the administration party, PFP must set a good example.” ani de Lima.
Nagpaalala din si de Lima sa House Leadership sa ilalkm ni House Speaker Martin Romualdez na naman kunaintihin at huwag ipagtanggol ang mga hindi magandang gawain.
“Our institutions must not be safe spaces for bigotry. If Congress allows this behavior to go unchallenged, it sets a dangerous precedent: that in politics, sexism is acceptable, and women are dispensable,” saad pa nito.
“Justice means holding people accountable for their words and actions, especially when they wield power. Reform means changing the systems that allow this kind of behavior to persist. We cannot achieve either if we stay silent,” babala ng dating senador.
Iginiit ni De Lima na ang mga babae ay hindi palamuti, props, o punchlines.
“Women are not ornaments, not props, not punchlines. We are leaders, builders, advocates. We deserve better—and we will demand better. The road to a truly just and respectful society is long. But we will keep walking it—together, and with conviction,” pagtatapos pa ni de Lima. RNT
