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<h3>But Senator Pia Cayetano disagrees with Duterte&#x27;s catcalling</h3><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/nation/9/22/ilagancayetanoduterte.jpg"/></figure></div><hr/><p>MANILA - Is catcalling a form of sexual harassment? Two female backers of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte have conflicting opinions on the matter.</p><p>Outgoing Senator Pia Cayetano, sister of Duterte&#x27;s running mate Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, said she will continue to support Duterte but takes exception to his catcalling of a reporter in a recent press conference.</p><p>&quot;I support the President but I don&#x27;t agree with the whistling,&quot; Cayetano tweeted in response to a Twitter user.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I support the President but I don&#x27;t agree w/ the whistling. RT <a href="https://twitter.com/catzedong">@catzedong</a>: do you support him wholeheartedly still?</p>— pia cayetano (@piacayetano) <a href="https://twitter.com/piacayetano/status/738377971384258560">June 2, 2016</a></blockquote><script async="" src="~//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>On the other hand, Gabriela party-list Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan, who ran for councilor of Davao in the May polls, said catcalling is &quot;not a form of sexual harassment.&quot;</p><p>Duterte, 71, has come under fire for catcalling TV reporter Mariz Umali during a press conference Tuesday.</p><p>Umali was asking Duterte about his Cabinet appointee when the president-elect interrupted her with a light-hearted comment about her trying to get his attention, then wolf-whistling and breaking into a short serenade.</p><p>Umali continued to ask her question as Duterte smiled and some other reporters laughed. She later said she did not expect an apology from Duterte.</p><p>Umali&#x27;s husband, TV reporter Raffy Tima, took to Facebook to criticize Duterte.</p><p>&quot;Catcalling my wife is wrong in so many levels,&quot; he wrote. &quot;Some jokes are funny and should be laughed at but disrespecting women is definitely not one of them.&quot;</p><p>Duterte later told reporters catcalling in public is part of freedom of expression, denying claims that he violated Davao City&#x27;s Gender and Development Code by disrespecting a married reporter of GMA-7.</p><p>&quot;You know, you don&#x27;t have any business stopping me every time I (whistles). That is freedom of expression,&quot; he said, adding that whistling is not sexual harassment.</p><p>READ: <a href="http:// http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/06/02/16/duterte-whistling-is-not-sexual">Duterte: Whistling is not sexual</a></p><div><strong>NO TO CATCALLING</strong></div><p>In her Twitter account, Senator Cayetano said she does not condone catcalling, and that she cannot answer for Duterte since she is not the president-elect&#x27;s spokesperson.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I don&#x27;t condone catcalling. Period. Back read please to see my other statements.</p>— pia cayetano (@piacayetano) <a href="https://twitter.com/piacayetano/status/738383685519429634">June 2, 2016</a></blockquote><script async="" src="~//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">On those asking me about Mayor, sorry po, I can&#x27;t answer for him. I&#x27;m not his spokesperson. He freely answers questions.</p>— pia cayetano (@piacayetano) <a href="https://twitter.com/piacayetano/status/738374433178411009">June 2, 2016</a></blockquote><script async="" src="~//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>She also said that she is not one of Duterte&#x27;s advisers.</p><p>When asked by another Twitter user if she would tell off Duterte for his acts, Cayetano responded: &quot;What I say to the President, I will tell him personally, not on Twitter.&quot;</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">What I say to the President, I will tell him personally, not on Twitter. <a href="https://t.co/rIsqR61M9t">https://t.co/rIsqR61M9t</a></p>— pia cayetano (@piacayetano) <a href="https://twitter.com/piacayetano/status/738377311779618821">June 2, 2016</a></blockquote><script async="" src="~//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Cayetano is known for her advocacy on women&#x27;s rights and pushing for the passage of the Reproductive Health Law. She has been elected congresswoman of Taguig.</p><div><strong>&#x27;GANOON TALAGA ANG MGA BISAYA&#x27;</strong></div><p>On the other hand, Ilagan backed Duterte&#x27;s explanation that catcalls are not sexual harassment.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s not sexual harassment. Whistling is not a form of sexual harassment...Siguro improper lang siya na behavior under the circumstances na hindi dapat ganoon,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;If you are calling the attention of this reporter, you could have used the other way... We have to accept that our President is different and he is working under a cultural way of communicating.. Ganoon naman talaga ang mga Bisaya. They are sarcastic. We exaggerate. We make fun, pero accepted naman talaga. It&#x27;s just a manner of speaking but not the thought, it&#x27;s not the content.&quot;</p><p>Ilagan, who earlier voiced support for Duterte&#x27;s candidacy, said the president-elect should have a moderator in future press conferences.</p><p>&quot;I suggest he should have a moderator, also isali rin yung mukha ng mga nagtatanong. Hindi lang nakafocus sa kanya para makita natin yung gestures,&quot; she said.</p><p>Duterte&#x27;s own spokesman, Salvador Panelo, has said Umali should instead take the president-elect&#x27;s whistling as a compliment since it only means that the Davao City mayor &quot;loves&quot; her.</p><p>&quot;Mayor Duterte is a very kind, playful individual. Pag siya&#x27;y pumito, ibig sabihin he&#x27;s fond of you, ibig sabihin mahal ka niya, kaya ka binibiro. Hindi po isang pambabastos yun. On the contrary, the receiver of that should be complimented,&quot; Panelo said.</p><p>&quot;The fact alone na nagtawanan yung mga tao eh ibig sabihin nun that expression was meant to be a joke and also as a compliment,&quot; he added.</p><p>READ: <a href="http:// http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/06/02/16/dutertes-wolf-whistling-a-compliment-panelo">Duterte&#x27;s wolf-whistling a compliment - Panelo</a></p>

<p>Is catcalling a form of sexual harassment or is it a compliment? </p>

Is catcalling a form of sexual harassment or is it a compliment?

Gabriela rep backs Duterte: Ganun talaga mga Bisaya

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Gabriela rep backs Duterte: Ganun talaga mga Bisaya

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Published Jun 03, 2016 06:53 PM PHT

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Updated Sep 29, 2016 02:22 PM PHT

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