Duterte keeps track of self-imposed fine for swearing

The tough-talking mayor of Davao City is making baby steps in his promise to cut off his habit of spewing bad words.

After his planned re-filing of his certificate of candidacy (COC) for president on Tuesday, presidential aspirant Rodrigo Duterte told the press that he already owes P3,000 to Caritas Davao as he cursed four times on Monday.

He said that the P3,000 he had to pay was already on top of the P3,000 he has already shelled out for the charity organization.

“May utang na akong P3,000 kasi kagabi (nagmura na naman ako.) I don’t know, but I was really trying (not to swear),” Duterte said.

He said that he cannot avoid swearing when he gets angry when responding to some issues.

The mayor, to save himself from paying every time he cusses, plans to give P50,000 to Caritas Davao as a “deposit.”

“Ang gagawin ko, since may P50,000 pa naman ako, i-deposit ko na lang. Then i-debit na lang nila doon,” he said in jest.

Last week, Duterte came under fire when he cussed at Pope Francis when he told an anecdote during the proclamation event of his party PDP-Laban.

The feisty mayor has since apologized, but he promised to practice self-discipline by vowing that he would donate P1,000 to Caritas Davao for every swear word he says.

However, not all were amused by the act done by the mayor.

Caritas Manila executive director Fr. Anton CT Pascual said that Duterte should not hold Caritas Davao as “collateral” in his path to self-regulation.

Pascual said that the mayor’s behavior is unworthy of being a presidential candidate or a future president.

“He should not be cursing because the presidency is about character,” Pascual said.