‘Racist’ TV show hosts earn PFF ire

MAKING HISTORY The Philippine Azkals celebrate in front of supporters at Halchowk Stadium in Kathmandu, Nepal. The Azkals defeated Tajikistan, 2-1, to make history by claiming the country’s first semifinal appearance in the AFC Challenge Cup. GOALNEPAL.COM

KATHMANDU—Calling their statements as “racist, libelous and discriminatory,” the Philippine Football Federation yesterday lodged a complaint against GMA Network’s Arnold Clavio and Rhea Santos for their comments against the men’s national team.

In a strongly worded four-page letter to GMA president and COO Gilberto Duavit Jr., PFF president Mariano Araneta demanded that “Clavio be sanctioned for his…assertions that members of the men’s football team are not Filipinos” during the March 13 episode of the morning show “Unang Hirit.”

Araneta also asked for a written apology from Clavio to the PFF and men’s national team currently seeing action in the semifinals of the AFC Challenge Cup here.

Clavio and Santos’ comments came after the show aired a news report on the sexual harassment complaint filed by AFC match commissioner against national team members Angel Guirado and Lexton Moy.

“You are not Filipinos. You are only pretending to be brown. You did not grow up here,” said Clavio in Filipino.

The PFF took Santos to task for sexist remarks, demeaning Filipino women and the Filipino women supporters of the national team.