Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque (File photo)
MANILA – Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday dismissed as “over-acting” netizens who criticized him for asking an “outdated” question during the question and answer segment of the Miss World Philippines 2021 pageant on Sunday night.
Roque, who was a judge at the pageant, asked candidate No. 6 Shaila Rebortera of Cebu Province: “The frontrunner in all the surveys for the post of president is a woman. If she were to ask you, should she run for president even if her children are very young, what advice would you give her?”
The question drew flak online, with some calling it a "misogynistic" and others slamming his supposed “political endorsement.”
“OA po ‘yun na misogynistic ‘yun (It’s OA to think it’s misogynistic). That’s a valid question. If you disagree, you’re entitled to your opinion, mag-judge din kayo (you should also sit as judges),” he said in a press briefing in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Davao City Mayor and presidential daughter Sara Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo are among the preferred 2022 presidential candidates in the recent pre-election Pulse Asia survey.
Sara Duterte on Saturday filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) to run for her third term as mayor while Robredo has yet to make a decision.
The filing of COCs for all elective positions for the upcoming elections started on Oct. 1 and will end on October 8.
Earlier, Roque’s inclusion in the board of judges for this year’s pageant drew mixed reactions, with many shocked to see him finding time to scrutinize beauty queens.
Aside from Roque, Senator Ramon Bautista “Bong” Revilla Jr. was another government official in the panel of judges.
Tracy Maureen Perez, an industrial engineer from Cebu City, was crowned Miss World Philippines 2021 on Sunday night at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.
She will be the country's representative at the 70th Miss World pageant to be held in Puerto Rico in December. (PNA)
