Muslim lawmaker rages after being served pork

The Manila Times reported A Muslim lawmaker on Monday night raged at a catering crewmember of a Chinese restaurant for serving her food with pork.

What did she order? And why did she order a dish containing pork?

Rep. Faysah Dumarpa of Lanao del Sur reportedly slapped the crewmember, Virginia Fernando Altamirano, and held a bread knife at her.

Assault and battery because of pork.

Altamirano, 36, has filed a complaint against Dumarpa with the Quezon City police.

I hope he goes to jail, and that all they serve is ham sandwiches.

“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.

Then you should be careful of what you eat.

Beyond dietary concerns, this is a matter of faith,” Dumarpa said in a letter to Ramon Sy, head of the Shangri-La Finest Chinese Cuisine, which caters for congressmen during sessions at the South Lounge in the House of Representatives. Dumarpa said she “felt betrayed” and “grossly insulted” by being served food containing pork. “I assumed your [catering] crew purposely caused that by intentional concealment of the fact herein set forth. If it was not at all intentional, then there must have been gross negligence on their part.”

Since when is a restaurant supposed to be aware of the religion of each of its customers, and what dietary laws their religion requires, and whether they observe those dietary laws?

Dumarpa even demanded that Sy fire the crewmen, and that only halal foods be made available in the South Lounge.

Or why not post a sign saying no Muslims allowed.

Another Muslim legislator, Anak Mindanao party-list Rep. Mujiv Hataman, said the House leadership should take responsibility for the gaffe. “This indicates lack of religious and cultural sensitivity even within the House of Representatives itself,” Hataman said in a text message.

Now the House leadership is responsible for what its members eat????

To prevent a repetition of the incident, Hataman suggested that the House consider putting up a separate lounge for Muslim legislators and visitors of Congress.

And alternative to the proposed apartheid lounge, would be to post a sign saying if you don't like what we serve, don't eat here.