Some senators were seen wearing West PH Sea shirts during the Gilas Pilipinas vs. China game, and netizens, including actor Jake Ejercito, were disappointed
WEST PH SEA – Actor Jake Ejercito and some netizens threw shade at senators who wore “West Philippine Sea” shirts at the Gilas Pilipinas vs. China game during the FIBA World Cup 2023.
It was on Saturday, September 2, when the Philippines men’s national basketball team faced off against China. Gilas achieved an impressive victory with 96 points. Prior to their match, the Philippine team had faced defeats from other teams, including the Dominican Republic, Angola, Italy, and South Sudan. In fact, due to the pressure and criticism that their head coach, Chot Reyes, had been receiving, he decided to resign.
During last Saturday’s game at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Senate President Migz Zubiri and Senators Joel Villanueva, Bato dela Rosa, and Bong Go proudly showed their support for Gilas Pilipinas by wearing “West Philippine Sea” shirts.
However, some Filipinos criticized the WPS-inspired shirts, deeming the gesture as “unprofessional.” Actor Jake Ejercito even took to social media where he threw shade at the senators. In a Twitter (now known as X) post, he noted: “But lol at those wearing “West Philippine Sea” shirts but were as still as the grave between 2016-2022.”
Meanwhile, both Go and Dela Rosa, known for their support of the Duterte administration, explained that they wore the shirts to rally for a “morale-boosting victory for all Filipinos” and to rekindle the patriotic spirit of the national team. On the other hand, Senator Francis Tolentino defended the shirts, asserting the right to freedom of expression. As of press time, Senators Villanueva and Zubiri have yet to issue any reaction to the criticism they have been receiving.
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