President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said he was only joking when he said that God talked to him during his flight from an official trip in Japan to Manila in October.
“Ang mga buang, naniwala rin. Hindi naman ako Bar topnotcher pero di naman ako ganoong ka-g*g*,” he said in a speech during at the regional convention of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in Manila.
During his arrival speech in Davao City on October 27, Duterte said God talked to him and told him to stop swearing or He’d bring down the plane.
READ: After hearing the ‘voice of God,’ Duterte swears he won’t swear again
“So, I promised God to not to express slang, cuss words and everything—so you guys, hear me right always because a promise to God is a promise to the Filipino people,” he said before the media at the Davao International Airport.
But on Friday night, Duterte said he was not serious when he made the statement.
“Kasi sabi ko nga, ang paborito ko sa Davao, magbiro ng kung anu-ano, tapos sabihin, ha? Ganun-ganun, tapos bawiin ko, eh maniwala ka pala. Ka ugok mo eh,” he said.
After his overwhelming lead in the May national elections, the foul-mouthed Davao City mayor, promised to metamorphose into a butterfly and would start acting presidential after his inauguration.
READ: Duterte promises ‘metamorphosis’ after inauguration
But after he assumed his post as the country’s chief executive, Duterte continued with his expletive-laced speeches.
He has repeatedly said that he did not apply as a statesman.
“I never took a course of statesmanship and I do not intend to be one,” he once said.
Sought for comment on Duterte’s statement, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the media should learn to discern when the President was joking or stating a fact.
“The President gave two pieces of advice during the election campaign, which we find relevant up to this day. One, discern joke from truth,” he said.
“Members of media should undergo a briefing from Davao-based media to learn how to differentiate when the President is making fun of the issue at hand and when he is seriously stating a fact,” he added.
But Davao-based media also reported the statement of Duterte, saying he was able to talk with God and told him to top cursing.
This was not the first time the President issued a statement only to later claim that it was a joke.
In a press conference in Davao City on August 21, Duterte threatened to pull the Philippines out of the United Nations (UN) for commenting on the spate of drug-related killings in the country.
READ: Duterte threatens to pull PH out of UN
“Maybe we’ll just have to decide to separate from the United Nations. If you are that rude, son of a b***h, then we’ll just leave you,” he said.
But two days after he issued his profanity-laced remarks, he said the threat to leave the world body was said in jest.
READ: Duterte on UN pullout: Can’t you take a joke?
“Can’t you take a joke? What will you join, the association of those who have sunk?” he said. CDG