House urged to adopt food labeling

To prevent a repeat of the slapping incident over a pork-laden dish, the House leadership should take the initiative in providing labels to food served in the VIP lounge, particularly to culture-sensitive Muslims, a lawmaker said yesterday.

"There should be labels in the first place because problems like this will always crop up in the future if the negligence continues," said Anak Mindanao Rep. Mujiv Hataman, who likewise proposed a "separate lounge" for the 12 Muslim lawmakers.

The House, through Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., "should take responsibility for this unfortunate incident involving Lanao del Sur Rep. Faysah Dumarpa."

"This indicates the lack of religious and cultural sensitivity even within the House itself," he said.

"Hence, to prevent similar incidents from happening again, the House should consider putting up a separate lounge for Muslim legislators and their visitors."

As per his suggestion, concessionaires "should observe measures that are respectful of faith-based differences in customs and beliefs, such as ensuring Halal food preparations or putting up a separate lounge."

Halal foods are those certified to be pork-free, under Islamic law.

Shangri-La Finest Chinese Cuisine had thumbed down the request of Dumarpa to fire dining manager Virginia Altamirano, who, despite her apology, had been the subject of physical and verbal attack by the Muslim lawmaker, who unintentionally ate pork in her pancit.

"You (Dumarpa) will no doubt agree with us that physical violence and even the threats of the same have no place in our civilized society, most especially in the hallowed premises of Congress," its president, Ramon Syhunliong wrote Dumarpa.

"It is for this reason, among others, that we are constrained to express our own condemnation of and outrage at the otherwise unjust and unjustifiable attack on the person of our own Virginia Altamirano," he said.

The food caterer executive clarified, however, that "our company has only but the highest respect for the religious and cultural convictions of Muslims in general, and you (Dumarpa), in particular."

Syhunliong informed House secretary general Roberto Nazareno that they will be pulling out their concessionaire agreement with the House at the "soonest possible time," if only to protect their employee, who remains under threat until now," company executive Ma. Teresa Moreno said — Delon Porcalla

"Regardless of the provocation, or alleged provocation, however, it is our position that no such physical violence against our personnel can be justified," company executive Ma. Teresa Moreno said.

"Considering, moreover, that the threats to the physical well-being of our personnel continue to remain, and are, in fact, imminent, we thought it prudent to immediately suspend all services, if only to protect our personnel from further harm."

The company issued the letter after the 36-year-old Altamirano filed a complaint at the Batasan Hills police station, where she accused Dumarpa of slapping, shoving and attempting to stab her.

Earlier reports indicated Dumarpa attempted to stab Altamirano with a knife. The lawmaker has consistently denied the charge.

"I was pushing her, I was scolding her," she told reporters.

"But I cannot remember taking any knife because I was holding a glass of water. But yes, I threw the glass on the floor out of anger. What I did was a natural reaction on a situation where I felt betrayed and deceived. I was grossly insulted. Siguro mataas pa ang presyon ko kaya nagdilim agad ang paningin ko (my blood pressure was probably still high so I did not see clearly).

"I had been very careful in my 54 years not to eat pork, only to find out that I did. It has been my habit to ask (if there is pork) first. I can give up all my wealth, all I have in this world, but I cannot give up my faith.

"As a Muslim, it is forbidden in Islam for a believer to eat pork or its derivatives. To do so is a grievous sin. An intentional consumption of such meat would hinder me from gaining entrance to paradise. Beyond dietary concerns, this is a matter of faith." — Delon Porcalla