A Quezon City councilor has filed a resolution declaring a comedienne, a film director, and a losing mayoral candidate persona non grata for disrespecting the seal of the city government in political ads.
Those facing sanctions were identified as prominent comedienne-actress Ai-ai delas Alas, film director Darryl Yap, and Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor, who lost to Mayor Joy Belmonte in the May 9 local polls.
In her privilege speech during yesterday’s regular session, outgoing Distrtict 4 Councilor Ivy Lagman hit Delas Alas, Yap and Defensor, citing their supposed “great disrespect and disregard to superimpose the Quezon City seal just to campaign for a politician.”
“The city and its citizens must always be respected. I call for Yap, Ai-Ai and Mike Defensor to apologize and (promise) never to do such act again,” she said.
Councilor Mayen Juico, the presiding officer, made a clarificatory question to validate if “any of the producers or participants are from the city.”
Lagman said although Delas Alas has migrated to the United States, the actress remained a resident of North Susana, while Defensor was without doubt a Quezon City resident,” she replied.
“To declare the three personalities as persona non grata is just a sentiment of the city council,” Lagman said.
She, however, admitted that they could not restrict the movement of Delas Alas and the rest in violation of their constitutional rights.
“Such action (persona non grata) is done to express their (officials) disdain that they do not agree with the disrespect (of the three personalities),” she said.
In a verbal amendment, she told Juico that Councilors Dorothy Delarmente, Irene Belmonte, Marra Suntay, Hero Bautista, Peachy de Leon, TJ Calalay, Ram Medalla “and the other councilors present to be included as here co-sponsors.”
