Mambabatas, mambabastos? After Bong Suntay, it’s Jinggoy’s Estrada’s turn to make inappropriate comments that social media users are not taking kindly.  

The public outcry against Quezon City congressman Suntay has yet to die down after he publicly suggested having a sexual fantasy about actress Anne Curtis. Yet, here comes Estrada making inappropriate jokes in a legislative hearing — and is rightfully getting flak for it. 

“You have Filipino boyfriend?” 

That was his question during a hearing of the Senate committee on justice and human rights on Tuesday, March 3. It was directed at American basketball player and Gilas Women prospect Elizabeth Means, whose proposed Filipino citizenship was being tackled at the time. (See Senate Bill 1594 and HB 5813.)  

The mood was apparently light, as other people in the room could be heard expressing amusement, and Means herself chuckling before replying, “Not (sic) yet po.” 

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But this is the Philippines, where a man asking a woman or a girl if she’s in a relationship is almost always used, or interpreted, to express interest in her. It can make the woman uncomfortable. Or she can appear receptive or tolerant (reminds you of the married woman whom then-president Rodrigo Duterte kissed at an OFW gathering). 

The reaction doesn’t lessen the intrusiveness of the question. 

Senator Estrada’s followup quip was even worse.

To Means’ no-boyfriend-yet admission, he replied: “Maybe Senator Pangilinan might want to apply? Sorry kay Sharon.” 

Pangilinan, chairman of the committee, could be heard saying, “Magagalit ’yung commander (The commander will get angry),” referring to his wife, singer and actress Sharon Cuneta. 

Why try to pair up a married man with another woman? 

Will anyone in the Senate ask that these inappropriate remarks be take off legislative records? Will Estrada apologize for them? Will he tell the public we’re overreacting to a joke? 

We don’t know about him, but last time he was the subject of a supposed joke about corrupt dealings, he was offended and asked that the remark be stricken off the minutes of the hearing. Remember when controversial contractor Curlee Discaya said he didn’t deal with any senator, and then-Senate blue ribbon chair Rodante Marcoleta turned to Jinggoy and said, “Safe ka na”? 

‘A national embarrassment’

Estrada’s remarks during the livestreamed session did not sit well with social media users, especially since they were made during National Women’s Month.

Filmmaker Jun Lana posted on X, saying, “When will our leaders realize that their casual sexism is a national embarrassment?”

Ceej Tantengco-Malolos, founder of Go Hard Girls, also criticized Estrada, saying, “A 63-year-old creepily asking a 24-year-old about her personal life is not an appropriate way to assess this commitment.”

What are your thoughts on Estrada’s conversation with Means? Share them in the Gender Equality chat room of the Rappler app. – With reports from Djulinenne Foster/Rappler.com