- Davao City mayor clarified controversial rape joke involving slain Australian missionary
- He said he didn’t mean to make a joke out of the incident, says he uttered it out of anger
- He attributed his statement to gutter language, apologized for his style of speaking
- However, he also said he won’t apologize for his statement which came out in the heat of his anger
MANILA, Philippines –Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has apologized for his “gutter language” and style of speaking which resulted in a distasteful rape joke involving a slain Australian missionary who was killed along with several hostages inside a prison in Davao City in 1989.
In a lengthy interview outside his home with several news outlets, the colorful mayor said he didn’t mean to make a joke out of rape and only uttered it as he was angry over the tragic deaths of lay minister Jacqueline Hamill and 20 others during the incident.
“I am invoking invictus. I am sorry in general. I am sorry for the Filipino people. It is my style. It is my mouth. I said that in the heat of anger, but listen to the story behind. ‘Wag kayo basta-basta paambak-ambak dyan [Don’t just readily fall for anything].”
He added he was not making a joke as he was telling the story during his sortie in a narrative form.
“It was not a joke, I said it in a narrative. I was not smiling. I was just talking plain sense narrative,” he said.
At the same time, Duterte— who recounted how he was willing to exchange himself for the hostages— said he won’t apologize for something which he said in the heat of the moment and which reflected his genuine anger.
“I am even willing to lose the presidency. Do not make me apologize for something which I did na talagang [when really] it was called for at the moment. I can lose Gabriela (Party-list) and all, wala akong pakialam [I don’t care]. Sabi ko sa inyo [I told you], I will not die if I do not become president but certainly as a matter of honor, I will stick to my guns. I said it in the heat of anger,” he said.
View full interview via the Philippine Daily Inquirer:
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