Bacolod Councilor Celia Flor on Wednesday, May 20, condemned a statement by a radio station anchorman who told a reporter on air that he would rape her so he could go to jail with a father who had beaten his 6-year-old daughter with a stick at the Bacolod City Public Plaza.
The anchorman repeatedly used the word “rape” as a joke, which was accompanied by the sound of laughter.
Flor, chairperson of the Committee on Women, Gender, Family and Childcare of the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod, said “rape is not a joke.”
“I condemn any statement that normalizes rape, harassment of women, and other forms of gender-based sexual harassment, regardless of its context or intent,” Flor said in a statement posted on her Facebook page.
The statement “I will rape you so I can go to jail” has no place in responsible public discourse, especially in the media and radio, which have a great influence on the people, she said.
Bacolod City already has a “Bawal Bastos Ordinance,” which implements the Safe Spaces Act or Republic Act No. 11313 at the local level. This ordinance states that harmful words, threats, and statements that denigrate human dignity add to a culture of neglect and tolerance for abuse, Flor said.
“We call on everyone, especially members of the media, to be responsible for their statements and help facilitate a community that protects and respects women and children,” she said.
“Rape and any other form of abuse should not be made into a joke — whether on the radio or anywhere else,” Flor added.*
The Gabriela Women’s Party said “in a time of increasing cases of violence against women and youth, everyone’s stance must be clear: rape is not a joke. It should not be made into a joke, content, or a gimmick for attention”.
Gabriela called for immediate accountability and action to ensure such behavior is barred from media spaces.
ANCHORMAN’S APOLOGY
Following the backlash, Jean Paul C. Generoso, host of 11MBPS, issued an official apology via the K5 News FM Bacolod social media page for the “inappropriate statement” made during Wednesday’s live broadcast.
“During our discussion regarding the reported incident of a father physically abusing his minor daughter in public, I carelessly made an on-air joke referencing ‘rape’,” Generoso said.
“While it was never my intention to mock or trivialize the suffering of victims, I now fully realize that using this term in a humorous context, especially on live radio, was deeply insensitive, irresponsible, and entirely unacceptable”, he said.
Taking full responsibility for the lapse in judgment, Generoso acknowledged that rape is a heinous crime causing profound, lasting trauma.
“To all women, and particularly those who have experienced abuse and sexual violence, I offer my deepest apologies for this careless remark,” he said, adding a plea to Bacolod public officials for understanding as he works to regain their trust.
“This incident serves as a stark reminder of my duty to remain responsible, disciplined, and empathetic when leading public discussions on air,” Generoso said.
He thanked the community for holding him accountable, stating, “I accept this criticism with genuine humility, and I am fully committed to learning from this error, undergoing necessary self-reflection, and ensuring I do better moving forward.”
NPC, NUJP REACT
The Negros Press Club (NPC), in a statement issued Wednesday evening, said “it stands for inclusivity, women’s rights, and respect—values that define responsible journalism and public service”.
In light of the recent incident involving a member of the club, the NPC said it condemns all acts of abuse, disrespect, and irresponsible broadcasting.
“Such conduct has no place in our profession or in our organization,” it said.
The NPC reminds all its members of their duty to exercise prudence, uphold respect, and practice responsible journalism at all times, the statement said.
“We join the community in stating with conviction: rape is not a joke. It is a crime, and treating it as humor undermines survivors, erodes public trust, and violates the very purpose of the press,” it added.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) also issued a statement condemning what it called a “sexual harassment incident involving a Bacolod-based anchor for making an inappropriate rape joke toward a female reporter who was simply doing her job and reporting the news”.
“We note with concern the statement posted by the anchor ‘apologizing’ for his behavior but without any mention of how he harassed the female radio reporter,” the NUJP said.*
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