Larry Gadon and his daughter Alarice caught the ire of students and social media users after they lashed out against a student from the University of San Carlos for asking questions about corruption in the Marcos regime.
Gadon was in the university for a forum dubbed “Klarohay Ta!” in Cebu that was meant to give them opportunities to present their platforms of government.
During the forum, a student asked him, “Why do you say that there was no corruption in the Marcos era?”
It could be viewed around the 1:19:00 mark of the video.
The senatorial candidate previously drew flak for his controversial answers in ABS-CBN’s televised Senatorial Town Hall Debate in February 2019.
Gadon defended the Marcoses and said that they did not accumulate ill-gotten wealth despite hard evidence and several court cases.
In the forum at the university, the lawyer began his answer by claiming that the Marcos administration had a total budget of “P467 billion” for twenty years which were supposedly used for major infrastructure projects.
Gadon then compared the amount against the budget of late President Cory Aquino and alleged that she did not have plenty of infrastructure projects in her time.
He claimed that this proved there was no corruption during the Marcos regime.
An audience member called him a “liar,” prompting Gadon to rebut that he could “debate” with former but not within the forum since there were rules established by the organizers.
“I’m not lying, you are, you are just ignorant. Don’t debate with me here. I’ll debate with you anytime but not here. There are rules. I want to follow the rules here,” the senatorial candidate said.
He demanded the person to be kicked out of the venue and later on claimed that the student was stupid.
Gadon is notorious for using the insult ever since he called out the supporters of former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno during the time her appointment was being questioned.
The senatorial candidate’s attitude and words against the student in the university forum were condemned by his fellow classmates.
HELLO, VOTERS OF THE PHILIPPINES, JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER THAT WE SHOULD NEVER VOTE GADON BECAUSE:
1. He called my classmate “bobo” after calling him a liar when he said that there was NO CORRUPTION during Marcos’ era. pic.twitter.com/Dr4Tf4e0Vy
— Wasteland, Baby! (@EllaTheMisfit) March 18, 2019
Others also noticed that Alarice, Gadon’s daughter, posted the student’s picture on her Facebook account and called his actions a move of a “communist.”
Her post was eventually deleted but some social media users were able to take a screenshot.
Alarice Gadon was so pressed that she thinks it's a good idea to post the student's face online with the intention of attacking him online.
This is online harassment. Period. pic.twitter.com/Hqmww91W7N
— Jay-r | NO TO MGA BOBO IN OFFICE (@JayrTheWriter) March 18, 2019
Forum rules
Prior to the start of the official event, organizers of the forum disclosed rules that are meant to be followed by participants in the duration of the discussion.
“Candidates are instructed to engage with each other with respect and dignity and speakers are not allowed to throw insults and insinuations to each other, especially if it may possibly trigger heated discussions,” Brenette Abrenica, the chair of the USC Political Science Department, said.
“You (the candidates) are not allowed to use foul language or address the audience or that of your fellow candidates using foul language,” she continued.
“Moderators will be reprimanding you. Should there be a repetition of the use of foul language, we may politely ask you to leave the forum,” Abrenica said.
