MANILA — Critics of her style of questioning during Monday’s presentation of a witness from the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office "can’t handle sass [and] can't handle style," House prosecutor Rep. Bel Zamora of San Juan City said.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Zamora attributed the personal attacks against her to misogyny, or prejudice against women.
"I don’t care if they bash me. I’m here to do my job… I mean, seriously they should get a life," she added, saying focus should be on the substance of Police Maj. Joericson Sangalang's testimony.
Sangalang testified before the impeachment court that Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband owned more than 50 firearms worth at least P7 million, which Zamora said was meant "to show that there are firearms registered" that were not declared in Duterte's Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.
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"[T]here’s a pattern of non-declaration," she said.
House prosecution adviser Robert Ace Barbers also defended the prosecutor, and said these online attacks are "ad hominem", or do not address the issue raised.
“Since Day One naman ad hominem na sila, wala naman silang discussion tungkol sa substance ng pinag-uusapan sa impeachment court," the former congressman said.
(Since Day One, they have been engaged in ad hominem attacks. They don't have discussions on the substance of what is raised in the impeachment court.)
Zamora also expressed disappointment over what she described as misogynistic sentiments behind the online criticisms.
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"I spoke before the United Nations about the barriers to women’s improvements or the barriers to women’s uplifting so itong mga comments na ganito, ito yung tinalakay namin (comments like these are what we discussed)… it’s very unfortunate that we still have members of our society who think that way," she said.