DESPITE his misogynistic remarks, President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, March 11, said he "loves" women but stressed that he should not be stripped of his right to "freedom of expression" especially when he

cracks a joke about them.

The President made the remark in a speech delivered at Malacañan Palace, as he tried to justify his controversial remarks about women.

Duterte, who is being depicted as misogynist, explained that his critics merely misunderstood his statements about women.

"Before the election, I was already pictured as a womanizer, as a one who kills babae pati ‘yung pumapatay ako. Matagal na man ‘yan. Noong mayor, ganun rin ang issue. Tapos dinala nila doon sa national. Wala man tayong problema diyan. I’d like to address everybody," he said during the awarding rites for outstanding women in the law enforcement field.

(Before the election, I was already pictured as a womanizer, as one who kills a woman. That's an old issue. It's been the issue since I was a mayor. And it became a national issue when I got elected as president. That's not a problem. I'd like to address everybody.)

"Basta ako mahal ko ang babae. Kaya nga makita mo naman dalawa ang asawa ko. Ano pa ba namang... Ibig sabihin talagang gusto ko ang babae. Hindi sabihin na gusto kong galawin. Gusto ko lang ang babae. It’s not because when I say that I like women that I want to despoil or dishonor. Hindi nila makuha eh," he added.

(I love women. That's why I have two wives. That means I really like women. That doesn't mean I want to have sexual intercourse with them. I just simply like women. It’s not because when I say that I like women that I want to despoil or dishonor. They just don't get my point.)

Duterte has been heavily criticized over his distasteful remarks on women, including his insensitive jokes about rape.

When he was still a presidential candidate, Duterte poked fun at the 1989 rape case of Australian missionary worker Jaqueline Hamil.

He has also earned the public ire for threatening to shoot female rebels in the genitals, and for crediting the high number of rape cases in Davao City to beautiful women.

In a speech delivered in Negros Occidental, Duterte also advised each woman to stay away from a priest because "when you are near him, he will just smell the scent of your body."

Duterte, in his latest remark, said he should not be deprived of his right to "freedom of expression."

"Diyan galit ‘yung mga babae. P**. (And the women are infuriated. Son of a...) You know, you women you are depriv[ing] me of my freedom of expression. Hindi ko sinasabi sa inyo ‘yan (I'm not telling you that) but you criticize every sentence or word I say," the President said.

"But that is my freedom to express myself. Even if I am just a President, do not take it -- do not take me away from the crowd of being a Filipino citizen. Kaya kayong mga g*** kayo huwag kayong mag ano (So to those stupid people, stop). It’s the freedom of expression. Kaya sinasadya ko ‘yang kagaya nito na ano kasi (I'm deliberately doing this because) I’m trying to bring you to the limits of despair," he added. (SunStar Philippines)