Sen. Robin Padilla defends Rowena Guanzon after viral mall altercation: ‘Walang sinuman na dayuhan ang maaaring magpalabas sa Pilipino sa sarili niyang bansa’

Senator Robin Padilla came to the defense of former Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Atty. Rowena Guanzon after a video of her heated confrontation with a mall-goer in Makati went viral over the weekend.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, December 7, Padilla justified Guanzon’s reaction as a form of defending Filipino rights after she was allegedly told by a Chinese national to leave the mall because she coughed.

“Walang sinuman na dayuhan ang maaring magpalabas sa kahit na sinong Pilipino sa kahit saang lugar sa sarili niyang bansa may ubo man o wala,” Padilla said.

The senator added that the foreigner should even be thankful that the situation did not escalate further.

He continued, criticizing online trolls who bashed Guanzon: “Pambihira din ang mga troll ano, kapag mga kakulay ninyo ang may mga pahayag laban sa pagmamalabis ng mga Tsino sa EEZ sa WPS halos gawan niyo ng kanta sa papuri. Ito ngayon nagmalabis ang isang Tsino sa isang Filipino senior citizen sa loob na mismo ng teritoryo ng Pilipinas, ang ibashing niyo ‘yung Filipino senior citizen dahil lumaban.”

Guanzon confirmed she filed a police report and lodged complaints of unjust vexation and grave oral defamation against the male mall-goer involved in the altercation.

In a video she posted online, Guanzon narrated that the confrontation began when the man reprimanded her for coughing.

“Sabi ba naman niya sa ‘kin sa Rockwell Mall na, ‘You’re coughing, you should leave the mall, you should stay at home.’ Doon ‘yun nagsimula,” she explained.

She said she felt humiliated by the man’s remarks, especially when he allegedly questioned her ability to buy a mask.

“Napahiya talaga ako doon sa ginawa ng taong ‘yun,” she said. “Sabihan ka ba naman, ‘Don’t you have money to buy a mask?’ Bawal pala sa kanya kahit umubo ka nang minsan kahit nasa Rockwell Mall ka.”

Guanzon insisted she only loses her temper when there is a clear injustice.

“Alam niyo naman ako. Hindi naman ako nagagalit kung hindi talagang sukdulan ang injustice o ang mali ‘di ba,” she said. “Hindi naman pwedeng palampasin ‘yun ‘pag inaalipusta ka na. Dine-defend ko nga ibang tao pag ginaganon sila, sarili ko pa kaya?”

She added that her blood pressure spiked during the confrontation but assured the public she is now fine.

Authorities have yet to release further updates on the complaints she filed.