People online reacted to the video of Robin Padilla doing this gesture inside the Senate.
Actor-politician Senator Robin Padilla was caught on camera gesturing a “dirty finger” while singing the national anthem inside the Senate.
Robin Padilla is the “Bad Boy of the Philippine Cinema.” However, he isn’t the bad boy we literally know. He is just known for his bad-boy roles in movies, but apart from his acting skills, he has long been admired by many for his strong sense of nationalism.
He loves the country deeply, and he shows this love by being vocal about issues that affect the Philippines and supporting programs that help marginalized communities, including initiatives for prisoners, Muslims, and ordinary workers.
Be that as it may, his recent actions showed otherwise. Inside the Senate, while singing the national anthem “Lupang Hinirang,” he was caught on camera doing the “dirty gesture” finger while his palm was placed on his chest.
The video drew public attention, and a lot of people reacted to it. Many people were quick to call it offensive, while others, despite the clear shot of his gesture, still defended the actor-senator. They expressed that the gesture could be something religious or an unintentional hand posture, but Islamic scholars and cultural observers said that such a gesture is not part of any known Muslim prayer practice.
As of this writing, the senator has not commented on the viral incident, and the Senate has not yet issued a statement.
Meanwhile, Padilla, a neophyte senator elected in 2022, has been recognized as a supporter of former President Rodrigo Duterte. It was Duterte who subsequently granted him an absolute pardon, thereby restoring his civil and political rights and enabling him to qualify for the 2022 senatorial elections.
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