Netizens were not impressed, to say the least.
On Tuesday, January 28, former ‘Pinoy Big Brother’ contestant Jarren Garcia appeared on ABS-CBN’s afternoon newscast ‘TV Patrol Express’ as its guest patroller.
During which, he read a report about the burial of screen icon Gloria Romero, who passed away at the age of 91 last Saturday, January 25.
A clip of the said report was uploaded onto social media platforms, with users mainly criticizing Garcia’s pronunciation of certain words and names.
Some also described the situation to be a “disrespectful” act toward the bereaved family of the late actress, as it could have been avoided with someone else stepping in to deliver the heavy news.
Meanwhile, others have defended Garcia, claiming that he is still in the process of learning the Filipino language, as the former housemate is known to have grown up in the United Kingdom.
To date, there is no statement from ABS-CBN News and Star Magic regarding the matter.
Although, amid the backlash over the incident, Jarren was able to appear in another Kapamilya program, ‘It’s Showtime,’ on Wednesday, January 29.