Sharon Cuneta has apologized on behalf of her uncle Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto who have offended the public on his remarks about single mothers.
“As his panganay,’ and without even having spoken with him about this, I offer my sincerest and deepest apologies sa lahat po ng nasaktan at na-offend ng comment nya. Minsan po siguro lahat tayo ay nauuna sa pag-iisip ang pagsasalita,” said Cuneta in a post on Facebook last Friday.
“At tulad po ng narinig ko ngayon Lang, humingi na rin sya ng paumanhin. Sana po ay matuto tayong magpatawad. Lahat po tayo ay nagkakamali. At lahat tayo ay nangangailangan din po ng patawad sa anumang nagawa natin para makasakit ng kapwa, sadya man natin o Hindi,” Cuneta said.
“Again, I am so sorry on his behalf. And thank you so much for reading this. This is the first and the last time I will be addressing this issue as I have said everything I have already had to say about it. Thank you for your understanding,” she said.
Cuneta defended the senator who she describes as not perfect but a good husband and a person.
“And if you believe in any word I have stood by to you over four decades, believe me please when I say that yes, Sen. Sotto is not perfect and is only human just like us. But he is a good husband, father, and a person with a darn good heart,” she said.
Cuneta made the reaction after Sotto questioned Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo for having two daughters outside marriage during confirmation hearing last Wednesday.
Sotto said: “In the street language, when you have children and you are single, ang tawag doon ay ‘na-ano lang.'”
Some people laughed at Sotto’s remarks while Taguiwalo was quiet. Then Taguiwalo, a former UP professor, told Sotto:
“Mr. Sotto, I teach Women’s Studies so we respect all kinds of families, and that includes solo parents.”
Sotto has already apologized for his remarks. But netizens continue to lambast the senator on social media, saying damage has been done.
Cuneta’s statement read:
“I would have preferred to be quiet about this matter, but because I know the man involved in this issue and consider him my second father, please be kind and give me this opportunity to put this forth;”
“We all say things we regret every once in a while. We are all only human, after all. We forgive because we know how it feels to ask for forgiveness;”
“I am sure that just like I and many others, we sometimes mention things that we do not mean to include the entire population in or about. Madami pong single mothers, single fathers. Hindi lahat ay mapagmahal at maaruga. Pero NAPAKARAMI namang single parents na ibibigay ang lahat maging ang sariling buhay para lamang sa Ikaliligaya at ikabubuti ng anak;”
“I MYSELF was a single mother. My two beloved cousins whom I consider true sisters, mga anak mismo ng kilala ko bilang “Fath” at “Daddy,” at kilala niyo bilang tito sen o Sen. Sotto, ay single mothers din. Bakit naman nya babalahurain ang mga tulad naming mahal nya Kung yun nga ang pakay nya?”
“Huwag po sana kayo magalit sa akin o masamain ito. Lahat ng anak ay nasasaktan din. Lahat ng Ate ay dumudugo ang puso kapag ang kapatid – ang akin ay si Ciara Anna – ay nadadamay sa pagkakamali ng ama;”
“Napakatinong babae po ng mga kapatid ko. Si Ciara ay di pa natatapos sa pagluluksa, pagluha, sa sakit na di nya inaasahang dadanasin pala niya. Patawad po. At maawa po sana kayo. Please spare her, like other good single mothers who were surely not meant to be included in a single, unthought of moment,” Cuneta added.