Duterte’s ‘I stabbed someone’ tale: A joke or not?
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, in his speech during the meeting with Filipinos residing in Vietnam at the Pulchra Resort in Da Nang City on November 9, 2017, relays the key points of his keynote address during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit. The President cited that while globalization has its benefits, it has somehow stunted the growth of some developing countries. He went on to suggest that highly-developed countries should give more opportunities to MSMEs especially from developing countries. KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
President Rodrigo Duterte claimed on Thursday night that he stabbed to death someone when he was 16 years old.
But was the President serious about this or was he just making a joke?
Duterte told about this tale during a speech before the Filipino community in Vietnam as he defended anew his much-criticized “war on drugs”, saying he was not afraid to go to jail.
President Duterte is in Vietnam for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) conference in Da Nang.
“Pu** i**, ‘pag ginawa mo sa Pilipino iyan, hihiritan kita. Kulong? Ay sus. Kulong, eh noong teenager ako pasok-labas-pasok ako sa kulungan,” he said.
Mr. Duterte then narrated that he stabbed to death a person when he was a teenager after he was involved in a brawl.
“Rambol dito, rambo—at the age of 16, may pinatay na ako. Tao talaga. Rambol. Saksak. Noong 16 years old iyon, nagkatinginan lang. Eh lalo na ako ngayong presidente na ako. You f*c* with my countrymen, ‘di kita papalusutin. Bahala na kayong human rights,” he said, eliciting laughter from the crowd.
Duterte, however, has been known to issue statements, which he later would say was only made in jest.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque has yet to respond to media questions whether the statement of Mr. Duterte was true or was just a witticism. /kga
