Robin Padilla: Uproar on Sotto, De Leon’s Arab garb ‘not worthy of my time’

SCREENGRAB FROM ROBIN PADILLA’S FACEBOOK PAGE

Actor Robin Padilla said that the ongoing discussion on the costume worn by Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Joey de Leon during the Halloween special of “Eat Bulaga” is not worthy of his time, fearing that it might backfire to Muslims.

READ: ‘Eat Bulaga’ hosts hit, defended on social media

In a statement on his Facebook account, Padilla said that there are other issues that need to be focused on such as demanding accountability for the Zamboanga siege or addressing the plight of internally-displaced persons.

“Kung ang pagbabasehan ng ating pagkamuslim ay ang kasuotan na ito para na rin sinabi na ang lahat ng mga nasa [YouTube] na pagmamalupit at panggagahasa ng mga arabo sa ating mga OFW ay pagkamuslim. Mag ingat tayo mga kapatid sa pagpukol ng puna at bato baka bumalik sa mukha natin at mawalan tayo ng mga mukha. Ang muslim ay hindi Arabo, ang Islam ay mula sa Allah at tanging pag uugali lamang ng propeta muhamad(saw) ang basehan ng ating pagkamuslim hindi kailanman sa kasuotan,” the actor said.

(If the basis of our being Muslim is this dress, then it is akin to saying that the abuses toward our [overseas Filipino workers] perpetrated by Arabs that we see on YouTube is what being Muslim is. Let us be careful in hurling criticisms for these might come back to haunt us and cause us to lose face. Being a Muslim is not being an Arab, Islam emanated from Allah and only the character of the Prophet Muhamad (SAW) is the basis of our being Muslim and never our dress.)

Sotto and De Leon were slammed on social media after they appeared in the October 31 episode with a keffiyeh (headdress) and a thawb (long-sleeved garment) usually worn by Arab men.

“Choose your [battles] and be wise in propagating Islam. [How] can we achieve peace, prosperity and the realization of shariah when the representation of Islam in our hearts is the Arab Costume [and] not the character and the light of Prophet [Muhamad (SAW)?] [I] have fought with you in many peaceful ways but this campaign against a showbiz and political personality is for me not worthy of my revolutionary time, this is not an Islamic insult nor a [race] issue,” he said.

READ: ARMM gov: ‘Eat Bulaga’ ‘insensitive’ to Muslims; should apologize | Tito Sotto unapologetic over uproar caused by Arab costume

On November 1, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Mujiv Hataman demanded a public apology from the hosts and producers of “Eat Bulaga” for wearing the outfit, saying that it is an affront to Muslims.

For his part, Sotto remains unapologetic, saying that he finds nothing wrong with his costume which was allegedly given by a Shiekh friend. AJH