In a phone interview with GMA News Online on Saturday night, Medina confirmed that he has resigned “irrevocably” from his post.
“Mga 9:55 p.m., right after ko manood ng “SONA” [ni Jessica Soho], pinabigay ko sa kasama ko sa Art Section ‘yung resignation letter ko,” Medina said.
“Hindi siya spur of the moment,” he said. “I wrote a very precise and crisp [letter].”
The cartoonist detailed what the letter said:
To: Ms. Letty-Jimenez Magsanoc
Ma’am:
Sorry I dishonored you.
I resign.
(signed)
Pol Medina Jr.
The “Pugad Baboy” creator quipped that he did not know how to use an electronic signature that is why his signature appeared big in print. “Parang galit lang, pero hindi naman.”
Asked what pushed him to resign, he said: “Nung Friday, wala akong comic strip tapos may nakalagay na pending further investigation.”
He was referring to the statement posted on the space allotted for his comic strip, which read: “Our Reader’s Advocate, Elena E. Pernia, has begun an inquiry into this matter. Her preliminary findings show that this cartoon strip had been rejected for its insensitivity when it was submitted in April 2013 but, due to a mix-up in the comics section, was picked up for publication.”
“The Inquirer confirms its commitment to the highest standards of accuracy, fairness and good taste,” the statement continued.
Medina’s “Pugad Baboy,” which was on its 25th anniversary, was removed from the publication’s comic section after it published an “offensive” comic strip tackling the subject of Christian hypocrisy in relating with people from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.
“Galit kayo sa mga gays and lesbians pero sa mga sagrado Katolikong all-girls iskul na pinapatakbo pa mandin ng mga madre e kino-condone ang pagka-tibo ng mga estudyante,” one character says.
“O’ nga ‘no? Sa St. Scho e wala kang makikitang magandang Kulasa na walang girlfriend,” replies another character, making a reference to the all-girls’ school St. Scholastica’s College.
Subsequently, St. Scho’s school president Sr. Mary Thomas Prado issued a statement threatening to file a lawsuit against the Inquirer if the comic strip issue will not be addressed.
The Inquirer has since apologized citing that the publication of the piece was “a mix-up.”
Online Comic Strip
After the comic strip pull-out, Medina noted that other publications, online or print, have offered him a post.
In the meantime, the cartoonist noted that his creations will still be available online on his Facebook page.
“Since indefinite pa ‘yung suspension ko e dito ko muna ilalabas ‘yung strip na dapat lumabas ngayon,” Medina said in the caption of his Facebook photo, which showcased his comic strip supposedly for Inquirer’s Friday edition.
The online strip has more than 600 shares and 1,600 likes, as of this posting.
“Grabe, kaya ko nang magbabad sa Facebook. Ganito pala ka-unproductive ang walang deadline,” the cartoonist quipped. — LBG, GMA News
