Star editorial portrays Chavit as Neanderthal, decries Malacañang reaction

A  Philippine Star editorial entitled "Neanderthal," accompanied by a cartoon of Luis "Chavit" Singson dressed as a caveman hitting common-law wife Che Tiongson with a club, decried the fact that Singson, the country's  deputy national security adviser, was merely told by Malacañang to  "behave" when he admitted to domestic violence, a public crime under Republic Act 9262, or the  Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004.

Committing this crime is punishable by imprisonment of various degrees (depending on the severity of the violence inflicted on a wife, ex-wife, or woman with whom the accused has a 'sexual or dating relationship' or with whom he has 'common children,'), fines ranging from P100,000 to P300,000, and  mandatory psychological counseling or psychiatric treatment. The editorial said Singson  "still lives in the Neanderthal age when men treated women like chattel to do with as they please."

"In other societies where the rule of law prevails, a Cabinet member who brags about breaking the law will not last another day in office. In Philippine society, a man who beats up a woman does not lose his government job or go to prison; he brags about his machismo, on national TV," said The Star.

Meanwhile, Rachel "Che" Tiongson, Singson's common-law wife, mother of his five children, and object of his battery says she is fearful but is ready to fight him in court:

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