Duterte asked to apologize for his public coquetry with Bohol town mayor

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte ALFRED FRIAS/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — Women advocates on Friday asked President Rodrigo Duterte to apologize for publicly flirting with Garcia-Hernandez town Mayor Tita Baja-Gallantes.

“Mr. President, stop attacking women. After days of just resting in Davao, you’d have more time to think of respectful ways to address the mayor,” said Akbayan Party-list nominee Doris Dinorog-Obena, who hails from Bohol. 

“The President should apologize to the mayor and to all Filipino women after his attacks. He should say sorry for his vile words for Mayor Baja-Gallantes. Bol-anons don’t deserve to be humiliated,” she added.

Dinorog-Obena also asked the President to apologize for his office’s baseless accusations against Hidilyn Diaz and reporter Gretchen Ho for tagging them as destabilizers. 

“The President has so much work to do for women, instead of attacking us. He can start with telling us about the Safe Spaces Act against sexual harassment. Has he signed it to law yet? It has been on his desk for quite a while now,” Dinorog-Obena said.

Women’s group Gabriela, meanwhile, said Duterte’s allies who never bat an eye every time the President degrades, humiliates, and sexualizes women do not deserve a seat in government.

In a two-hour speech during a recent campaign rally of former Cabinet Secretary and gubernatorial candidate Leoncio Evasco Jr., Duterte flirted with Gallantes, whom the President described as “truly beautiful.”

“The mayor asked me today, ‘Why did you come here? Is it because of your love for the people of Bohol?’ That’s one of the reasons, ?a’am. But first… Don’t clap yet, I’m not even done talking. First, she said that she’s the mother of your municipality. Then she said that I am the father of the nation,” Duterte said in Cebuano.

“You are truly beautiful. If it were me, why would I ever break up with you? I will really grab and hold on to your panty if you try to leave, even until the garter snaps. You’re just too beautiful,” he added, while drawing laughter from the crowd.

The President said he was in Bohol “to play the game of love.” (Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)