A video of Lorraine Badoy in a discussion panel with Ed Lingao and members of communist front Ibon Foundation is making the rounds. Apparently, the agenda of the talk was around “insights” published by Ibon Foundation on the numbers bandied around during a showcase early this month of the “legacy” of the government of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
According to observers, Badoy was “admonished” by the talk show host for not staying within the agenda, that is, responding directly to the points raised by the Ibon people who presented figures to back their assertions that they claim debunks this “legacy”. To be fair, Badoy, rather than do this, attempted to make the discussion all about the well-known ties of Ibon Foundation with the Communist Party of the Philippines thus making it complicit with the criminal activities of the latter’s terrorist arm, the New People’s Army (NPA).
Followong the “admonishment”, Badoy could be seen stammering her way through the rest of the video and giving her hosts dagger looks. Lorraine Badoy could have handled the situation better. This is, after all, television — media for people with short attention spans. She could have just giggled her way through the interview the way “vice president” Leni Robredo does (though to some increasingly limited effect).
Seriously, Badoy should have come prepared. Ibon Foundation, after all, had done its homework and had published their “insights” well in advance of this talk session. Her response to Ibon was no different to the way Yellowtard partisans dismiss critics who raise confronting and valid points as “trolls” and “paid hacks”. Indeed, the national debate and the conduct of both sides in this debate needs to a long overdue uplift in quality and grace. Filipinos deserve nothing less.
Webmaster of Get Real Philippines