Persona Non Grata? Really?

So some of you might have already heard of the news about Ramon Bautista here in Davao. I wasn't there, but apparently, he made a remark about the people in Davao being like hipon. For the clueless, it's an expression used to refer to people who have great bodies but not-so-desirable faces.

It is a derogatory remark, for sure, and I must admit it's quite offending to call someone, much more a group of people, "hipon." But I wasn't there. I'm not even sure whether he was really referring to the people or to the actual seafood hehe. However, I do understand that the joke was not tactfully delivered and RB ended up looking just rude.

But let's give the poor guy a break. I know how he must feel because there had been several times in my life when a rude remark went out of my mouth, different from what I intended to say! My motive was innocent but I ended up offending a person. That's life. We're all people. We're not perfect. I'm sure RB didn't intend to offend Davaoenos that night because, hello, what good would come out of it? He just was not thinking.

Image: inquirer.net

According to news, he already apologized to the crowd during that night. Apparently, it was not enough for people continued to lambast him. And then last night, I saw this on RB's Instagram:

And you know what? After reading that post, I no longer felt offended. In fact, I gained a new respect for the UP professor and comedian not only because of the repeat apology but also because he did not attempt to defend himself. He offered no explanation for his tactless "joke" but instead, just humbled himself and said sorry. Even when he already did say sorry. Even if he still got attacked and bullied. For me, that's courage.

I thought everything was going to be alright. However, just today, I read this news about Ramon Bautista being declared persona non grata in my city. Wait, what?! If you ask me, I think that's just unfair. He didn't commit a crime! Yes, what he did was rude and offensive, but that alone doesn't warrant a punishment as serious as not allowing a fellow Filipino enter a Philippine city. Even the mastermind of the Maguindanao massacre who infamously grinned like the Cheshire cat, before he was imprisoned, wasn't declared persona non grata!

But that's just me. I don't know anything about the law. I don't know anything about politics or how defending women's rights are is supposed to work, at least according to them.

But I know compassion and forgiveness and grace and showing them to people who least deserve them. RB was certainly not faultless, but then again, neither are we. Neither are our leaders. However, we strive to continue to show compassion, forgiveness, and grace. In my heart as a Christian, as a mother, and as a woman, that's the mark of true leadership.

I hate to see my beloved city be known as a hardhearted city that can't forgive.

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