Bette Midler ‘binalikan’ ng Palasyo

UMALMA ang Palasyo sa pagbabansag ni US actress-singer Bette Midler kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte bilang isa sa mga kasuklam-suklam na lider sa buong mundo.

Ayon kay Presidetial Spokesman Salvador Panelo, walang karapatan si Midler na batikusin ang mga pinuno ng ibang bansa dahil wala siyang ‘personal knowledge’ sa kanilang pagkatao.

Pero kinilala ni Panelo ang karapatan ni Midler na pintasan ang kanyang bansa bilang “freedom of expression.”

“She has the right to criticize in her country as an exercise of her freedom of expression. She, however, has no right, as she is incompetent and a gullible talking head as well, [to comment] on matters concerning foreign leaders she has no personal knowledge of,” ani Panelo.

Si Midler ay kilalang kritiko ni US President Donald Trump at sa kanyag tweet kamaka­lawa ay hinimok niya ang mga Amerikano na pag-isipang mabuti ang naga­ga­nap na impeachment proceedings laban sa kanilang pangulo at huwag hayaang buksang muli ang pinto para sa tulad nina Hitler, Stalin, Castro, Duterte, Pol Pot, Putin, Assad, Chavez, Kim Jong Un, Mussolini, Mugabe, at Amin.

Hinimok ni Panelo si Midler na magbalik-ta­naw sa pinasikat na awi­ting “From A Distance” at tingnan ang positibong katangian ang mga lider ng ibang bansa.

“We suggest that she revisits her famous song From A Distance and learn from its lyrics that she may look at a foreign leader of a distant country with a positive outlook:  “From a distance there is harmony & it echoes through the land It’s the voice of hope It’s the voice of peace It’s the voice of every man From a distance we are instruments Marching in common band Playing songs of hope Playing songs of peace They are the songs of every man.”

Noong 2017, tinawag ni Midler na ‘murderous dictator’ si Duterte nang haranahin ng Pangulo si Trump sa 31st ASEAN Summit gala dinner.

(ROSE NOVENARIO)