Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s obscene remarks that rape is inevitable “as long as there are beautiful women” are disgusting, to say the least.

And he had the audacity to add that “as long as there are many beautiful women, there will be more rape cases.” This sounds like a warning directed at women. Since becoming president, Duterte has been demeaning women.

To add insult to injury, his presidential spokesman said, “We should not put too much weight on Duterte’s statements, which are meant as a joke.”

Duterte, previously mayor of Davao city in Mindanao, has boasted that Davao is the country’s “safest” city despite police reports of 42 rapes there between April and June.

Fortunately, a coalition of women’s groups called “I Am a Woman” was quick to denounce Duterte and his “jokes,” saying that rape is based on the “false assumption that women are chattel to be owned, to be punished according to the whims of men.”

Belinda A. Aquino

Moiliili

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