Senatorial aspirant Samira Gutoc responded to Filipinos confronting her about Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso‘s use of derogatory slang against the former opposition coalition she was a part of in the 2019 midterm elections.
Moreno, the standard bearer of the Aksyon Demokratiko political party, last Friday responded to reports claiming that his stance on the Marcos family was what pushed Vice President Leni Robredo to join the 2022 presidential race despite her saying that it did not serve as a tipping point.
Members of the political party were present during the press conference.
During the event, the mayor claimed that the Liberal Party is creating “friction.”
“Ako walang friction sa kanila, sila gagawa ng friction. Pero hindi ako nagpapapatol diyan. Kaya lang, I have to tell ‘yung pakiramdam ng taumbayan. Pagod na… maniwala ka. Pagod na. Kaya nga na-inidoro sila eh,” he said.
“Inidoro” was among the online insults hurled at the Otso Diretso bets who ran as senators under the Liberal, Magdalo and Aksyon Demokratiko parties.
Detractors popularized phrases such as “Otso Diretso sa inidoro” and posted their edited pictures on a toilet bowl to campaign against them.
It was composed of former Rep. Gary Alejano (Magdalo), former senator Bam Aquino, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay, former interior chief Mar Roxas, Erin Tañada, Chel Diokno, Romulo Macalintal and Gutoc.
Gutoc was not seen in the video which captured Moreno ranting against the coalition but she appeared in another clip where the presidential aspirant criticized Robredo’s supposed reason for running.
At some point in the video, Aksyon Demokratiko’s members clapped at Moreno’s comments except Gutoc, who stood behind him at the podium and remained still.
Her presence was noticed by some of her supporters who commented of feeling “disappointed” by her choice to run under Moreno’s party.
“I hate to see Samira Gutoc behind this man. I’m so disappointed sa kanya. Hay,” a Twitter user wrote.
“Samira is this the side you chose??????? Is this the person you chose to support??????” another user wrote in disbelief.
“I feel sorry for Samira,” a different Filipino commented with a crying emoji.
On Monday, a Facebook user asked Gutoc about the mayor’s remarks through a comment in one of her social media posts.
“Ano po ‘yung naramdaman niyo nung binabanatan ni Yorme si VP Leni? Hindi ka ba nasaktan nung sinabi ni Yorme ‘yung 8 deretso sa inidoro na kasama kayo sa line-up na ‘yun? Tsk!” he wrote.
The comment was liked by three other Facebook users.
“It was a sad moment…” Gutoc responded to him.
“Sa tingin niyo po ba hindi kayo nagkamali ng desisyon na kumampi sa politikong hindi pa man hinog eh, nabulok na? Hindi ba parang nagamit lang ‘yung Aksyon Demokratiko para magmukha siyang oposisyon?” the Facebook user said to her, earning two likes from others.
Gutoc did not respond.
A screengrab of the exchange reached local Twitter where some of Gutoc’s former supporters continued to express their sadness.
“I was thinking turning point na niya ‘yun. Pero (hindi) pa din. Sad ako for @GutocSamira,” an online user wrote with a pensive emoji.
“Please leave that party, Ma’am @GutocSamira, for the sake of your dignity,” another Filipino commented.
The senatorial aspirant previously said that moving to another political party does not mean she has betrayed her principles.
“Hindi po ito pagtatraydor sa prinsipyo na ni-lay out naman ng iniina ko sa pulitika na—aminado po ako… na maraming nagtatampo sa akin ngayon, talagang hindi po ako magkakaroon ngayon ng, how do you call it, future po sa political awareness ng tao kung wala po si Leni,” she said to DZMM Teleradyo last month.
Gutoc also said that she approached the Liberal Party leadership prior to leaving and that she didn’t have the “office” to do dialogues with others to build alliances.
“Along the two years po ay nagkakaroon naman po ng LP organizing, ‘yun nga po, in pursuant sa sinasabi ni VP Leni, nag-uusap sila ngayon ni Isko ngayon, nag-uusap kay Pacman, everybody is dialoging,” she said.
“Pero, hindi ako kagaya nila na mga sitting politicians. Ako po ay isang community leader na wala po akong opisina by which I can be able to do that. And one thing na nai-offer po, na nakita ko sa Aksyon Demokratiko, for the past 2 years, youth dialogues ako, is a concrete position in a political party, Aksyon Demokratiko, na national board executive position,” Gutoc said.
At that time, Robredo said that there have been talks to form a “united opposition.” She had meetings with fellow 2022 public office aspirants Senators Manny Pacquiao, Ping Lacson, Senate President Tito Sotto, and Moreno.
