Pop culture references draw attention at VP Sara House impeachment hearing

Are you familiar with pop culture references?

It is a phrase or sentence usually used by the Millennials and Gen Zs.

However, during the House impeachment hearings against Vice President Sara Duterte, some lawmakers were able to slip in some “hugot” lines.

One of them is House Justice Committee chairperson Gerville Luistro, according to Oscar Oida’s Thursday report in “24 Oras.”

“Sa atin ang unang galaw. Sa atin ang direksyon. Gaya ng sabi ng mga kabataan, “hawak natin ang beat,” Luistro said.

(The first move is ours. The direction is ours. As the youth say, ‘we hold the beat.’)

Some Gen Z dating slang was used to describe Duterte’s attendance.

“We have given her so many chances for Vice President Duterte to explain and present her side regarding the impeachment complaint against her. Pero waley consistently absent siya talaga. Gino-ghost niya tayo paulit-ulit (but she is consistently absent. She ghosted us repeatedly),” Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña said.

“Sa totoo lang, na-ghost na nga tayo, tila gina-gaslight pa tayo (We were not only ghosted but were also gaslighted),” Luistro said.

Ghosting in the modern dating world is a sudden absence like a ghost, while gaslighting is a form of manipulation that questions one’s memory or perception.

The impeachment hearing also made reference to actor John Lloyd Cruz’s iconic line in the film “One More Chance,” where he played the role of “Popoy.”

“She had me at my worst; you had me at my best, but binaliwala mo lang lahat ng yun (you just ignored all of it),” Cruz said in the film.

"Nagkaroon na nga po ng sequel ang 'One More Chance'." Second chance? Pero inuulit ko po this is a second chance,” Cendaña said.

(There’s already a sequel to “One More Chance.” A second chance? But I’ll say it again: this is a second chance.)

SAGIP Party-list Rep. Paolo Marcoleta also made another reference to Cruz’s character, but was later corrected by Cendaña.

“Sinabi rin po ni Popoy sa pelikula, "i deserve an explanation, I deserve an acceptable reason." Siguraduhin niyo po na kung bubuksan niyo 'yan, meron po kayong acceptable reason na naaayon sa batas,” Marcoleta said.

(Popoy also said in the movie, ‘I deserve an explanation; I deserve an acceptable reason.’ Make sure that if you open this, you have an acceptable reason that is in accordance with the law.)

“Hindi po siya kay Popoy. Lilinawin ko lang po. Ito po at kay Papa P, kay Piolo Pascual, sa pelikulang “Starting Over Again.” I hope as we decide on this matter, this will not lead us to starting over again,” Cendaña said.

(It’s not from Popoy. I just want to clarify that this is from Papa P, Piolo Pascual, in the movie “Starting Over Again.” I hope that as we decide on this matter, it will not lead us to starting over again.)

This was later cut by Luistro, while FPJ Bayanihan Party-list Rep. Brian Poe said he found it unreasonable for the committee to use such remarks in discussing what he considers a serious matter. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BAP, GMA News