President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. ACE MORANDANTE / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—President Rodrigo Duterte, who has been harshly criticized for his sexist remarks, expressed support for the campaign to end violence against women in the country.
In his message on Monday for the National Consciousness Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Duterte acknowledged the strides made by the Philippine Commission on Women in empowering women in the Philippines.
“I hope that as the Philippine Commission on Women spearheads the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women and Children, we can all raise greater public awareness on the issues faced by this sector so we may pursue other measures that will protect them from any form of harassment or discriminations,” Duterte said.
“Let this important socio-political campaign further secure our gains as we continue to work together in building a more inclusive and progressive nation for generations to come,” he added.
The President also mentioned that the “full implementation of the Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 and the Magna Carta of Women has enabled us to pursue our goal of violence-free homes across the country.”
Duterte signed the Bawal Bastos Bill into law earlier this year. The law imposes fines and prison time for forms of sexual harassment, including wolf-whistling, cat-calling, telling of sexual jokes, leering, groping, stalking, and online sexual harassment.
But Duterte, also a self-confessed womanizer, has had his share of remarks objectifying women that earned him the ire of the public and women’s rights advocates.
He once ordered soldiers to shoot female rebels in their vagina and even subjected Vice President Leni Robredo to creepy antics back in 2016.
The President also has a habit of flirting with female local chief executives during his public speeches.
In December 2018, Duterte said he once touched their maid in her private part when he was still young.
Edited by JPV