Lanao congresswoman goes ballistic over pork

Dreading the wrath of Allah and feeling "grossly insulted,’’ a Muslim congresswoman slapped and shoved a waitress who served her pancit (noodles) with pork during a dinner at the House of Representatives last Monday.

Lanao del Sur Rep. Faysah Dumarpa said she blew her top upon learning that she had unintentionally eaten pork, which was an ingredient of the dish served by Virginia Altamerano, head waitress of Shangri-la Finest Cuisine in West Triangle. Shangri-La Finest Cuisine was the House caterer for that day.

Altamerano later reported the incident to the Batasan Hills police. She, however, declined to be interviewed after the incident.

"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," she said.

"What I did was a natural reaction on a situation where I felt betrayed. I was grossly insulted," she said, explaining her outburst.

The 54-year old Mindanao lawmaker said she had to eat first because she had to take medicine for hypertension.

"Siguro mataas pa ang presyon ko kaya nagdilim agad ang paningin ko (Maybe my blood pressure was high that’s why I easily lost my temper). I feel I was betrayed, that I was deceived," she said.

Dumarpa said that before the incdent, the food servers assured her of pork-free dish for her and other Muslim lawmakers. She said it was a Muslim colleague who called her attention to the mistake. By that time, she was already enjoying the dessert.

"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," she told reporters at a briefing.

Dumarpa admitted pushing Altemarano, but denied attempting to stab her with a table knife. "I was pushing her, I was scolding her. 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."

Dumarpa wrote a letter to Ramon Sy, head of the House caterer, demanding the dismissal of the concerned catering crew.

"It is a policy of the House that only Halal (prepared according to Muslim law) foods shall be served to Muslim congressmen, and this has been relayed to you as a concessionaire," she told Sy in a letter.

Lanao del Sur Rep. Benasing Macarambon, who is also a Muslim, said Dumarpa’s outburst was justified and that Islam allows a more severe response to such travesty.

"If it were me, I don’t know what will be my state of my mind. Muslims can kill," he warned.

Macarambon said that for a Muslim, the anguish one feels after being made to eat pork is actually worse than seeing one’s wife being raped in front of him.

Another Muslim lawmaker, Mujiv Hataman of party-list Anak Mindanao, has a less combative stand on the issue. He proposed that a separate lounge for the 12 Muslim lawmakers be set up to avoid such incidents from happening again.

"The House should take responsibility for this unfortunate incident on Dumarpa. This indicates the lack of religious and cultural sensitivity even within the House itself," he reiterated.

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

"The House should observe measures that are respectful of faith-based differences in customs and beliefs, such as ensuring Halal food preparations or putting up separate lounge," he said in a text message.

Altamerano, 36, reported the incident to the Batasan Hills police station. Supt. Tante Agpaoa, station chief, said Altamerano reported the incident for record purposes. He said the incident happened at around 6:30 pm.