I thought no one noticed it, but Bandila, the late-night news of ABS-CBN, had a segment last night about how Senators grilled Jun Lozada, the star witness of the opposition on the NBN controversy (If you are not familiar with the NBN controversy, read these articles first). Bandila’s story said that even Lozada’s pagkalalaki (manhood/maleness) was questioned during the hearing.
It was Sen. Jamby Madrigal who opened the topic. He asked Lozada, a close friend of former NEDA Sec. Romulo Neri and a consultant of NEDA on the controversial project, if his relationship with Neri is intimate. If, to be precise, it is as intimate as the ones he allegedly has with two men, whom Madrigal has the chutzpah to name, one of them is allegedly Neri’s boyfriend. (Read Neri’s reaction here.) Nothing new about what Madrigal asked, and the story has been circulating in the political grapevine and in the halls of Congress ever since Neri’s name has been involved in the NBN scandal. But Madrigal’s motive must be questioned.
“Outing” is a favorite pastime among politicians. It may be cheaper than the junkets they routinely organize (like the study visit of congressional spouses to Norway to study reforestation!), but claiming or imputing that this or that person is gay is nonetheless vile. I don’t care if former NEDA Secretary Romulo Neri is gay, and I don’t know if he is, but certainly Sen. Jamby Madrigal has no business making such an allegation or disclosing such details to the public. Dragging Neri’s alleged homosexuality into the fray is malicious, it opens the issue to the vilification of Neri on a matter that has no relevance at all to the NBN controversy. This is not the first time that politicians have used homosexuality to discredit an individual (I can still hear the crowd in People Power II shouting ‘Osmeña bakla!’), but public officials like Madrigal should constantly be reminded that one’s sexual orientation has absolutely nothing to do with the issue, or Neri’s conduct on the NBN controversy. The issue, for me, is that he is not disclosing the entire truth, and that he appears to have taken part in Lozada’s abduction.
Vilification through stereotyping, unfortunately, is oftentimes the weapon of choice of politicians who are intellectually impaired. It is easy to destroy an argument by using deeply embedded stereotypes and stigma-laden labels. Yesterday, Presidential legal counsel Sergio Apostol, obviously running out of credible reasons to counter the expose, called Lozada a ‘crying lady’. Signs of effeminacy reveal weakness, a notion founded on the misogynistic belief that women are weak and therefore cannot be trusted. Funny how they are deploying their machismo to save a woman president.
There was also an incident in Congress where a solon openly pointed to a woman legislator to refer to the ‘third sex’ sector. It was after AKBAYAN Rep. Risa Hontiveros criticized the House leadership for not electing any woman in the leadership of the House when more than 30% of the legislators are women. It was picked up by the media, and perhaps to avoid embarrassment administration congressmen used homophobia to dismiss Hontiveros’ proposal – they said that granting representation to women legislators in the leadership of Congress would lead to similar demands from the ‘third sex’ members of the House. It was followed by a lengthy debate on who are the legislators from the ‘third sex’ in Congress, and inevitably it led to finger pointing. One solon in fact kept on pointing his finger to a woman solon from Metro Manila who is rumored to be lesbian.
Outing is a tricky strategy. Those who use it would also claim that there is nothing wrong with being gay and closeted homosexuals should be proud of their sexuality. Yet this forced outing betrays the real motive behind the act – our political culture still abhors gay or lesbian politicians, and forcing them to come out subjects them to derision and stereotyping. It is meant to stigmatize.
Coming out is a personal reckoning. One does it according to his or her comfort. And the likes of Madrigal should be told of the harrowing stories that have happened because people are forced out of the closet.
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i totally agree. if neri is really gay or not doesnt lead to anything relevant to the investigation. senators (well, some of them) just doesnt know how to do the investigation despite pubic money spent on these hearings instead of them making meaningful laws.
Does Jamby know that she’s been talked about as being a dyke? Her marriage is made up and that that French dude is not a full fledged dude.
@chris: i have no issues about them organizing inquiries, since fiscalizing is one of Congress’ roles. but they should not resort to personal attacks and vilification. it is just base.
@stevie: exactly the point. it only fuels an outing spree, which has nothing – nothing at all – to do with the issue.
I’ve been (for the lack of better word) out of the country for quite some time now. Knew that politics in the Philippines is bordering to weird but this is downright baffling.
While Jamby’s (you call her Senator?) question is completely pointless, there’s no logic for her to ask it unless she was scorned by any of these two gentlemen before. But then if she was scorned, was this the reason she became a dyke and now she’s so livid and found the need to ask it in that forum?
Yet, still it doesn’t make any sense at all. This is mind boggling! Maybe JP Enrile can enlighten us.
If her pronouncements were done here in the US, she’d be out of office before the close of working hours.
Though I agree 100% in principle, I guess the question in my mind is this: what if Romy Neri is indeed gay and Jun Lozada is his lover and government is blackmailing Romy Neri that once he tells the truth about the ZTE NBN deal they will expose him and bring whatever “dirty linen” they have on him to the public. Definitely, Neri’s sexual orientation is material. I do not have the answer though. I am just thinking out loud. Mabuhay!
Granted that they are now outed, what then is left to blackmail them? Perhaps it is now their credibility that becomes questionable as Pinoys seemingly often equate gays as unstable in their words as they are with their sexual practices i.e., jumping from one bed to the other(?). No offense meant here but that’s just the view from my vantage point. IMO.
Whew! Will Lozada end up—however wrongly—like the boy who cried wolf in Philippine politics? Or can he untie the Gordian knot of Gloria’s putrid character?
This is not getting to be interesting. Just repulsive.
i am disappointed, irritated and frustrated that romy neri chose not to tell what he knows of the zte scam and hide behind the protective wall of the palace. but it has nothing to do at all with his sexuality nor anyone’s for that matter. jamby’s leading questions were uncalled for and malicious, but well what can we expect of someone of her calibre?
Tricky talaga ang outing. Aside lang: sometimes it’s useful and justified if the person to be outed is a self-loathing closet case making homophobic remarks in public.
maybe jamby madrigal is projecting her gayness.
some closeted/in denial people are so fucked up that they tend to be cranky, abusive, irrational and has a lot internal homophobia.
the truth is, jamby madrigal won the election bec of her poster with judy ann santos
the truth is, we pinoys are idiots for winning her the election bec of that poster.
if u really are for the truth, ask for judy ann santos income tax return and see how much jamby madrigal paid her to be in that poster