Kiko Pangilinan backs daughter Frankie, recalls student activist days

Senator Francis Pangilinan on Sunday recalled his days as a student activist as he expressed support for his daughter Frankie, who called out a post by Lucban police claiming that women should dress a certain way to avoid sexual harassment.

"Stop teaching girls how to dress?? Teach people not to rape," Frankie said in a series of tweets. 

The Lucban Municipal Police Station recently came under fire for warning women against wearing short, revealing clothing, adding, “‘pag naman nabastos ay magsusumbong din sa amin.” 

The younger Pangilinan clapped back, stressing that “the way anyone dresses should not be deemed as an opportunity to sexually assault them.” 

Frankie’s tweets elicited a reply from TV and radio personality Ben Tulfo.

“Hija, a rapist or a juvenile sex offender's desire to commit a crime will always be there. All they need is an opportunity, when to commit the crime. Sexy ladies, careful with the way you dress up! You are inviting the beast,” he said on Twitter—a statement that also reaped opprobrium online and spawned the hashtag #HijaAko.

Senator Pangilinan backed his daughter in response, saying that he now understands how his own father must have felt when he was a student activist at the University of the Philippines Diliman in the 80s.

“Pasensya na Daddy, ikaw din ang nagturo sa akin na mahalaga ang pagiging lider nung bata pa ako,” Pangilinan said on Facebook. 

“Go ahead then, Frankie. As my Father, your Lolo Dony, sought to understand what I did then despite the risks, so it is with me and you,” he added. — Julia Mari Ornedo/BM, GMA News