Teddy Boy Locsin Jr. INQUIRER file photo
Foreign Secretary Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr.’s expletive remark at an Inquirer reporter has drawn flak, and celebrities have joined the sentiment against the country’s top diplomat for his behavior.
Actress Agot Isidro, a known staunch critic of the administration, took to Twitter earlier today, Nov. 6, to slam Locsin for his tweet.
Isidro shared a screenshot of the said tweet with the caption, “Sayang ang pagpaaral dito, no? (What a waste of education for this one, right?)”
Sayang ang pagpaaral dito, no? pic.twitter.com/nQrcI7V2V0
— Agot Isidro (@agot_isidro) November 5, 2019
Locsin yesterday was riled up at Inquirer reporter Jhesset Enano’s live tweet, which was on President Rodrigo Duterte’s absence during the last event of the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Thailand.
“Uh, did you get the putangina I sent you? That’s the last event, purely ceremonial and short. Jokowi had left, Mahathir too,” Locsin said in defense of the president.
Uh, did you get the putangina I sent you? That's the last event, purely ceremonial and short. Jokowi had left, Mahathir too. https://t.co/sE6aoB0F6J
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) November 5, 2019
Enano covered the President’s attendance at the summit and tweeted: “LOOK: Foreign affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr. @teddyboylocsin sits with other world leaders at the closing ceremony of the 35th Asean Summit in Thailand. President Duterte appears to have skipped this event too.”
Singer Leah Navarro also shared her two cents on the issue, questioning Duterte’s said absence on the Asean event and accusing Locsin of being “so defensive, almost violent.”
“Haven’t read anything about Duterte’s return from Thailand. If he left the ASEAN Summit early, where did he go? Wondering about Locsin’s reply to a reporter, it was so defensive, almost violent. Why?” she asked.
Haven’t read anything about Duterte’s return from Thailand. If he left the ASEAN Summit early, where did he go? Wondering about Locsin’s reply to a reporter, it was so defensive, almost violent. Why?
— Leah Navarro (@leahnavarro) November 6, 2019
The Philippine Daily Inquirer has released a statement earlier today condemning Locsin’s words, which are “unbecoming of a diplomat and public official.”
“The Philippine Daily Inquirer takes umbrage at the profane and insulting tweet addressed by Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. to PDI reporter Jhesset Enano on Nov. 5. It was unbecoming of a diplomat and public official, and totally undeserved by Enano, who was doing her job reporting on President Duterte at the Asean summit with the professionalism, focus and comprehensiveness that our readers deserve.”
The country’s top diplomat has since addressed the issue, saying earlier today that he would have let Enano’s tweet pass if he knew she was a woman.
“Had I known she was a lady I’d have let it pass,” Locsin said. “But I watched her president stick it out start to finish but for 1 photo op, enduring statements far longer than his own because he has the breeding to listen to those who heard him. Others stepped out before and after they spoke.”
Had I known she was a lady I'd have let it pass but I watched her president stick it out start to finish but for 1 photo op, enduring statements far longer than his own because he has the breeding to listen to those who heard him. Others stepped out before and after they spoke.
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) November 6, 2019
Duterte arrived in Manila from the summit in Thailand last Monday, Nov. 4. NVG
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