Zambales lawmaker furious over 'fake' Magsaysay tag

ZAMBALES Representative Ma. Milagros "Mitos" Magsaysay called Senator Franklin Drilon a "chauvinist" on her Twitter account on Saturday following a supposed remark by the senator calling her a "fake Magsaysay."

"Drilon calling me a 'fake' means he has no respect for women. He is a chauvinist. (I) hope he doesn't teach his kids to treat women like that," said Magsaysay, who is planning to run for senator in May 2013 under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

"If I'm a 'fake,' then what does it make Mrs. Drilon? I pity Mrs. Drilon because the senator has a very low regard for us wives and mothers," she added.

In an interview with reporters early this week, Drilon announced that former senator Ramon "Jun" Magsaysay Jr. will be running under the ticket of the ruling Liberal Party (LP).

"Ang tunay na Magsaysay ang aming kandidato -- si Ramon Magsaysay Jr. Ang tunay na Magsaysay, subok na (Ramon Magsaysay Jr. is our candidate for senator. The true Magsaysay, tried and tested)," Drilon, a stalwart of LP, said.

Ramon Magsaysay Jr. is the cousin of the Zambales lawmaker's father-in-law, former Zambales Governor Vic Magsaysay.

"LP's move to get Jun Magsaysay to run shows their insecurity of me being an effective fiscalizer in the Senate. Check and balance is something they don't want," Mitos Magsaysay, a member of the minority bloc in the House of Representatives, said.

"The LP is trying to erase history that they were allies of GMA (former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) by attacking me. (It was) Drilon and (Senator Francis) Pangilinan who defended her in the 2004 presidential elections," she added.

Both Senators Drilon and Francis Pangilinan were instrumental in the canvassing of votes in the 2004 polls where then Arroyo was proclaimed winner. The two were former Arroyo allies. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)