Arlene Brosas, Sara Duterte and聽 Sarah Elago
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The Gabriela Women鈥檚 Party on Sunday slammed the supposed temerity of Vice President Sara Duterte in calling for measures against gender-based violence while remaining silent on her father鈥檚 legacy of misogyny and a bloody drug war that left thousands of widows and grieving mothers.
House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas described as 鈥渉ypocritical and empty rhetoric鈥� the impeached Vice President鈥檚 message on International Women鈥檚 Day on Saturday, pointing out that it ignored the impact of former President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 policies on women.
鈥淚t is the height of hypocrisy for the Vice President to call for strengthening laws against gender-based violence when her father鈥檚 administration perpetuated one of the most violent campaigns that left thousands of mothers grieving for their children killed in the so-called 鈥榳ar on drugs,鈥欌�� the Gabriela representative said.
Brosas pointed out that the previous administration鈥檚 policies particularly affected women in poor communities who were widowed and left as sole breadwinners by Duterte鈥檚 war on drugs.
Victimized, too
鈥淭he nerve to call for justice for women while not even acknowledging the thousands of women orphaned, widowed and compelled to work on their own to support their families because of her father鈥檚 bloody policy,鈥� the lawmaker said.
Gabriela first nominee Sarah Elago recalled that the former president, during his administration, repeatedly made sexist remarks and jokes about women鈥檚 bodies and even rape.
鈥淗ow can we take VP Duterte鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Day message seriously when she remains silent about her father鈥檚 legacy of misogyny?鈥�
Sexist outlook
Elago pointed out that the former president 鈥渘ormalized sexual objectification of women and even joked about rape,鈥� sending a 鈥渄angerous鈥� message that violence against women was acceptable as it emanated from the highest official of the land.
鈥淎 genuine recognition of women鈥檚 month entails facing the truth of state violence against women and doing something to end it. It鈥檚 not a matter of making a simple message and rhetoric, but of taking concrete action for real change,鈥� she said.