Grace Poe to pols: Don’t use women as sex objects

COTABATO CITY—Women should not be treated as sex objects especially in political activities as the 2016 elections draws near, Senator Grace Poe said on Friday.

Poe made the remarks in Cotabato City where she was asked for her throughts on the controversy facing the Liberal Party after dancers supposedly delivered a lewd performance at the birthday party of Laguna Representative Benjamin Agarao Jr.

The dance group Playgirls performed after new LP members took their oath before standard-bearer Mar Roxas at Agarao's residence.

“We should raise the level of political activities and do not use women as sex objects,” Poe told reporters, saying political events usually have minors in the audience.

"Alam ninyo po, dati pa lang ako sa MTRCB, ang paggalang sa kababaihan ay mahalaga, hindi para sa ano pa man, lahat naman tayo ay may nanay, may kapatid, siyempre kapag nakikita nating ganoon talagang nalulungkot tayo," she added.

President Benigno Aquino III, Roxas and other LP leaders previously tried to convince Poe to run for vice president in their ticket.

After several meetings with both Aquino and Roxas, Poe decided to run for president herself.

"Hindi na lamang natin sasabihin na dahil lamang sa kampanya, sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay dapat talaga ang tamang pag respeto sa lahat ng tao, hindi lamang sa mga lalake, sa mga babae, sa lahat. Karapatan nating lahat na mabigyan tayo ng tamang paggalang," Poe said.

"Sa tingin ko ang standard na dapat gamitin natin sa mga nakaupo sa gobyerno ay mas mataas pa," she added. —Ferdh Cabrera/NB, GMA News