Rabiya Mateo demands public apology for her joke

Rabiya Mateo/FB

ILOILO City – Taken out of context? She certainly wasn’t.

But Miss Philippines Universe 2020 Rabiya Mateo has taken offense to the infographic in Panay News’ Facebook page quoting a joke she made during a guesting in a comedy program.

The Sept. 23 infographic quoted Mateo saying said: “Three years ‘yung (age gap naming ng) ex ko pero nakipag-date din ako sa seven years ‘yung gap namin. Wala akong dad so siguro yung hinahanap ko sa relationship is somebody na mag-aalaga sa ‘kin. Tatay pala talaga ‘yung hinahanap.”

Mateo insisted she made the statement in jest when she guested in the comedy program “The Boobay and Tekla Show” on Sept. 19, 2021 in GMA Network and YouTube.

Panay News made this clear, too – that  Mateo’s statement was a joke – in the caption/content together with the infographic posted on Sept. 23.

For further proper context, Panay News also shared the video link of the Sept. 19 “The Boobay and Tekla Show”.

But insisting otherwise in a statement through her lawyers released to ABS-CBN News on Friday, Mateo made a string of demands to Panay News:

* that the infographic be taken down

* that Panay News issue a public apology

* that the apology must also be published in all social media platforms of Panay News

* that the apology must be published in a full page in Panay News and a leading national broadsheet (Philippine Daily Inquirer or Philippine Star)

Mateo gave Panay News a deadline: Sept. 30. She lamented the “terrible slant” to the infographic.

The Ilongga beauty queen also complained about her photo in the infographic. She said it was “inappropriate” and “provocative”.

The photo was from Mateo’s own publicly accessible Facebook page.

Mateo had a scheduled interview with Panay News but cancelled it at the advice of her lawyers.

“Hindi po sugar-daddy ang hanap ng aming kliyente, kundi pag-aaruga lamang mula sa isang responsible at tapat na lalake,” stressed a statement from Mateo’s lawyers Calinisan Domino and Beron Law Offices.

The mood at “The Boobay and Tekla Show” was “light, comical, and funny,” it added.

“Let us be clear: no one has the right to objectify women and disparage their reputation. Women are there to be respected and loved,” according to the statement signed by Atty. Rafael Vicente Calinisan./PN

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