(Updated 1:01 p.m.) Pointing out unsatisfactory government action is not just the work of political analysts. Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez can do so too, as a Filipino.
Velasquez decried Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.’s tweet on Chinese fishermen poaching giant sea clams in Scarborough Shoal.
“Ang akala ko pa naman matalino ka. Ako ay simpleng tao lamang na may simpleng pagiisip. These people are invading our territory they are not just taking food [sinisira] nila ang ating karagatan!” she tweeted.
Richard Heydarian, a resident television analyst who used to be part of the academe, then tagged Velasquez on the micro-blogging platform.
“When even Regine V. @reginevalcasid becomes a political analyst, you know something is REALLY wrong with our politics!” the commentator remarked.
Locsin previously dismissed China’s actions and said that clams were “just f*cking food” that can be paid by the Chinese “like in fish market.”
Heydarian has since deleted the tweet after fellow Twitter users interpreted his remark to Velasquez as “essentially insulting and categorically derogatory.”
One pointed out that the singer has every right to comment on Locsin’s tweet since it is her right as a citizen of the Philippines.
For @Richeydarian to say that @reginevalcasid became a political analyst just because she questioned @teddyboylocsin’s stupid “clam” remark is utterly preposterous. Questioning gov’t officials is not political analysis. It’s an expression of concern, & our right as stakeholders. pic.twitter.com/FeYV21I2KA
— Nestor Antonio Diaz 🇵🇭 (@nad0227) April 21, 2019
“Questioning gov’t officials is not political analysis. It’s an expression of concern, (and) our right as stakeholders,” Twitter user Nestor Antonio Diaz said.
“Do you call everyone who challenges an official statement an unofficial ‘political analyst’?” he added as a direct reply to Heydarian.
Another user commented in the thread that Filipinos who question and criticize government officials would then be labeled as “political analysts” following Heydarian’s logic.
A different user said that being an artist does not mean one cannot comment on the country’s current affairs any longer.
Porke ba artista walang karapagan na maging concerned citizen ng bansa? Matagal na may problema ang politics ng Pilipinas. pic.twitter.com/y1pNN3z1Nl
— Tom (@Tom_MD_) April 20, 2019
Clarified
Heydarian then clarified that his tweet about Velasquez was meant as a “backhanded compliment to her” and not as an insult.
“I was pointing out how @reginevalcasid has all the right to be a ‘political analyst’ even because if how bad our politics is…” he shared to Interaksyon.
The analyst also said that his tweet was “primarily a rebuttal” to a certain tweet made by veteran newscaster Jay Sonza, who insulted him.
now it can be told why Regine Velasquez-Alcasid left GMA network. she had fantasized being a Richard heydarian, iyong bopol na resident analyst.
— Jay Sonza (@JaySonza3) April 19, 2019
Heydarian had apparently lauded the singer’s initiative to speak out against Locsin prior to releasing the controversial tweet that was meant to be a compliment.
The analyst initially compared Velasquez against a known celebrity Duterte supporter, Robin Padilla, and said that he wishes there were more personalities like her.
How I wish there were more Regine V @reginevalcasid in a world full of Robin Padilla 🇵🇭💪♥️
— Richard Heydarian (@Richeydarian) April 20, 2019
Heydarian even shared that she could be the “best Foreign Affairs secretary” following her tweet to Locsin, saying that she has “common sense and patriotism.”
Regine V @reginevalcasid will be Du30 best Foreign affairs secretary appointment if ever! At least she got common sense and patriotism! Honestly, namiss ko si Yasay 😂
— Richard Heydarian (@Richeydarian) April 20, 2019
He also reinforced his explanation by saying that he was “glad Regine (and) other celebrities are speaking up against this madness.”
Heydarian also retweeted a user who claimed that the deleted tweet was meant to show that “the (government) failed to become the analyst itself, where the citizens were able to see what is wrong while the (government) failed to see it.”
In this case, Velasquez was able to see what was wrong in the situation while the government — which is supposed to uphold the country’s sovereignty above all else — dismissed China’s exploitation on Philippine resources.
This tweet of prof @Richeydarian About becoming a political analyst simply means the govt failed to become the analyst itself, where the citizens were able to see what is wrong while the govt failed to see it.
The problem is how people think this is a negative one. Kudos prof! pic.twitter.com/f7J4pQfqxp
— Sir Pogi (@UliratNiBogs) April 21, 2019
Heydarian also launched more tweets to compliment the singer, further making his point that he actually favored her.
In a world of loose canon Teddy Bears, be a patriotic songbird! ♥️🇵🇭💪
— Richard Heydarian (@Richeydarian) April 22, 2019
In a world of little birds, which don’t have the guts to stand up for our country, be a songbird 🇵🇭💪♥️
— Richard Heydarian (@Richeydarian) April 22, 2019
Velasquez, meanwhile, has not commented about the issue arising online. — Artwork by Interaksyon/Uela Altar-Badayos
*The latest update reflects more clearly the clarification made by Heydarian about the misreading of his tweet.
