An ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman took offense to the costumes worn by Sen. Tito Sotto and Joey de Leon during the October 31 episode of GMA-7’s noontime variety show “Eat Bulaga.” The two hosts wore a thawb, an ankle-length garment with long sleeves usually worn by Muslims.
CUB’S CORNER: Netizen questions Sen. Tito Sotto’s choice of Halloween costume in “Eat Bulaga”
Gov. Hataman has also demanded that “Eat Bulaga” issue a public apology over the issue. “We remind the hosts and the producers of the show of how Muslims are quite often discriminated against in our society, often stereotyped as troublemakers and terrorists,” Hataman said in a statement sent to the media on Saturday.
“What Eat Bulaga did in its Halloween Special was a mockery of and an affront to the image of the Muslim, apparently in the name of entertainment,” he added.
A day after Gov. Hataman’s statements, Sen. Tito Sotto issued a statement via a text message sent to Gorgy Rula and published on PEP. Here’s the text message: “Una sa lahat, hindi totoong ang Muslim community ang nagre-react sa suot namin ni Joey. Pangalawa, hindi muslim outfit yun, ARAB costume yun at ilang taon ko nang sinusuot yun dahil natutuwa ang mga kaibigan kong mga Sheikh pag sinusuot ko yun na regalo nila sa akin. Ikatlo, ang ibig nilang sabihin yun mga nagko-costume ng mga pari o madre o naka-Barong Tagalog ay hindi puwede sa costume party? Yun ganuon may relihiyon. Meron din mg Christian Arabs eh wala namang problema. Ano problema nila?”
“Eat Bulaga” is yet to release a statement about the issue.
