Women should not be stereotyped as arrogant and entitled during their menstrual period,” Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus said in a statement. Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin expressed a similar sentiment, saying Bertiz should just own up to his mistakes without passing the blame on to others. “If that’s his reason, I think his apology is not sincere because you cannot relate ‘monthly period’ with his behavior which, in the first place, was really uncalled for and disrespectful to women,” Villarin told the Inquirer. ADVERTISEMENT“A woman’s menstrual period is a natural process and it’s demeaning to women when you compare your rude behavior to a monthly period,” he said. Amid calls to replace Bertiz as a party-list nominee, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said the matter was no longer under its jurisdiction.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer October 02, 2018 21:00 UTC