Hontiveros claps back at netizen who taunted her over divorce bill

Shark na ba ako?

This was the reply Wednesday of Senator Risa Hontiveros to a netizen who accused her of advancing her personal interest when she filed the bill introducing divorce in the Philippines.

The netizen said marriage will have less meaning with the divorce in the country.

“Nag-file lang ng divorce bill, for ‘personal need’ na agad? Nag-file din ako ng Shark Conservation Bill; shark na ba ako?” Hontiveros quipped

The senator added that one can fight for things that do not directly affect him or her.

“It’s called empathy,” she added.

Nag-file lang ng divorce bill, for ‘personal need’ na agad? Nag-file din ako ng Shark Conservation Bill; shark na ba ako?

We can fight for things that do not directly affect us. It’s called empathy. #DivorceLawNow#DissolutionofMarriageLawNowhttps://t.co/kY29bGADq4

— risa hontiveros (@risahontiveros) September 18, 2019

Hontiveros is a widow. Her husband, Francisco Baraquel Jr., a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy, died in 2005 due to heart attack.

Baraquel was a classmate of Senator Ronald dela Rosa.

On Tuesday, Hontiveros, who chairs the committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality, conducted the first ever Senate hearing on the divorce bill.

She said she is now ready to draft a committee report endorsing dissolution of marriage, which is similar to divorce but is more acceptable to most of the senators.  —LDF, GMA News