Dennis Gaviola

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John Franklin Kennedy Caacbay

ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) — Senator Jinggoy Estrada drew the ire of netizens after he suggested that Sen. Kiko Pangilinan should apply as &quot;Filipino boyfriend&quot; of Gilas Women prospect Elizabeth Means.This happened during a Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights hearing on Means&#x27; bid for a Filipino citizenship to don the national colors and play for the Gilas 3x3 team.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/3/3/senate-justice-panel-discusses-naturalization-bids-of-gilas-prospects-1743">READ: Senate Justice panel discusses naturalization bids of Gilas prospects</a></div>&quot;You have [a] Filipino boyfriend?&quot; Estrada asked Means.&quot;Not yet po,&quot; Means replied.&quot;Maybe Senator [Francis] Pangilinan might want to apply,&quot; he added.&quot;Sorry po kay Sharon [Cuneta],&quot; he added in jest, noting that the fellow senator is married to famous actress-singer Sharon Cuneta.The comment also came as the country commemorates the National Women&#x27;s Month this March.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/1/31/elizabeth-means-says-naturalization-bid-for-ph-sounded-amazing-1714">READ: Elizabeth Means says naturalization bid for PH &#x27;sounded amazing&#x27; </a></div>&quot;Is it proper to ask, knowing may asawa yung tao? Tsk...tsk.. one user on X (formerly Twitter) said.&quot;Ang bastos. Alam nyang may asawa yong tao at Megastar pa,&quot; another user said.&quot;Truly saddening. Yung mga ganitong insinuations sa mismong mga taong gobyerno pa nanggagaling at sunod sunod pa nilang binibitawan,&quot; a netizen said.During the same hearing, Estrada asked the similar to Malick Diouf — who, together with Means, is undergoing the same process — if the Gilas prospect had a girlfriend.In a statement released Friday night, Estrada said that the conversation was just a quip between him and Pangilinan, and he has been friends with Cuneta for a long while now.&quot;It was simply a friendly banter between Senator Francis Pangilinan and myself. It may not be widely known, but Senator Pangilinan’s wife, Ms. Sharon Cuneta, is a dear friend of mine, and our friendship goes back many years — long before I entered politics,&quot; said Estrada.Estrada insisted that there was &quot;nothing malicious&quot; in the question, saying that it was anchored on understanding to whether Means and Diouf intend to settle in the country after serving Philippine basketball.Means was an NCAA Division II player from Westminster University in the United States, while Diouf is a Senegalese who has already played in the UAAP, helping the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons win the championship in Season 84.&quot;Part of the Committee’s responsibility is to understand whether applicants intend to truly make the Philippines their home — whether by settling here permanently or even establishing a family in the future,&quot; Estrada said.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada drew the ire of netizens after he suggested that Sen. Kiko Pangilinan should apply as "Filipino boyfriend" of Gilas Women prospect Elizabeth Means.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada drew the ire of netizens after he suggested that Sen. Kiko Pangilinan should apply as "Filipino boyfriend" of Gilas Women prospect Elizabeth Means.

Estrada draws flak after suggesting 'Filipino boyfriend' for Gilas prospect Means

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Estrada draws flak after suggesting 'Filipino boyfriend' for Gilas prospect Means

Kennedy Caacbay,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 06, 2026 05:40 PM PHT

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Updated March 06, 2026 07:59 PM PHT

Read More:

abssports

Jinggoy Estrada

Kiko Pangilinan

Elizabeth Means

Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights

Gilas Pilipinas

naturalization

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