Mariel Padilla backs Robin Padilla, refutes ‘dirty finger’ gesture claims
- Mariel Padilla backed Senator Robin Padilla amid online criticism accusing him of making a “dirty finger” gesture during the singing of the national anthem at the Senate
- She posted a photo collage on Instagram Stories, showing that her husband raised his index finger
- She included a “watch before you judge” link sticker that led to a TikTok video explaining the meaning of the gesture
- The actor-turned-politician also addressed the false claim on Facebook, sharing images from the viral moment and clarifying the meaning of the gesture
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Mariel Padilla has come to the defense of her husband, Senator Robin Padilla, after the lawmaker was accused online of making an obscene hand gesture during the singing of the national anthem at the Senate.
Source: Instagram
On Instagram Stories, Mariel shared a photo collage showing images of Robin with his raised index finger, emphasizing that it was not a “dirty finger” as some netizens claimed.
She also added a link sticker she titled “watch before you judge,” which directed her followers to a TikTok video that explained the significance of the gesture.
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The issue stemmed from a Senate event where Robin was seen raising a single finger while Lupang Hinirang was being sung. Several netizens accused him of disrespecting the national anthem and the event where it was performed by allegedly making an obscene sign.
On his official Facebook page, the actor-turned-politician also addressed the controversy and clarified that his action was rooted in Muslim practice. He accompanied his statement with photos taken during the viral moment, underscoring the meaning behind his raised index finger.
Robin wrote in his caption:
“Allah hu akbar
Allah hu akbar
Allah hu akbar
Ito po ang mga larawan na tunay sa araw na yan ng ika 8 setyembre 2025
Ang hintuturo, index finger/fore finger ay ang siyang nagagamit ng mga muslim para isagawa ang kalimah LA İLAHA ILALAH.”
Kalima La ilaha ilalah is an Islamic affirmation of the oneness of God. In his post, Padilla emphasized that the gesture he made was not disrespectful, but instead a symbolic expression of his Muslim faith.
Robin Padilla is a famous action star and endorser in the Philippines. He is also the father of actresses Kylie Padilla and Queenie Padilla. Robin ran for senator in the 2022 Election. He won the race and was number one in the number of votes received among all candidates. He assumed office in the Senate on June 30, 2022. Padilla also became the president of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino party on July 24, 2024. Padilla also has two children named Gabriela and Isabella with his current wife, Mariel Rodriguez. He has seven children in total, four from his first wife Liezl Sicangco.
Recently, Senator Robin Padilla’s office clarified his hand gesture during the national anthem after some netizens mistook it for a dirty finger. His chief of staff Atty. Philip Jurado said Padilla would never do such a gesture and explained it was his index finger pointing upward.
As previously reported by KAMI, Sen. Robin Padilla posed for photos with former President Rodrigo Duterte’s cardboard standee. On his Facebook account, Padilla shared snaps showing him having breakfast in The Hague, Netherlands alongside the standee. In the caption, the actor-turned-senator jestingly said they were having a “breakfast meeting.” Duterte is currently detained in the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague for charges of crimes against humanity.
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Source: KAMI.com.gh
