PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday, May 26, joked about granting pardon to Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadets facing charges of rape and illegal drug use.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo once again defended the President, saying the President's "mischievous" statement about rape should be taken lightly, as it was intended merely to make his audience laugh.
"He (Duterte) made some mischievous remarks to make people laugh. People have been used to his jokes, hence his audience always receive them with hearty laughter," the Palace official said Monday, May 27, 2019.
In his speech during the PMA graduation rites in Baguio City on May 26, 2019, the President granted pardon to PMA cadets for various offenses, a yearly tradition following the commencement ceremony.
While signing the pardon, Duterte joked that he was also freeing the cadets from guilt for committing crimes such as rape and illegal drug involvement.
"I, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, President of the Republic og the Philippines and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, hereby pardon all outstanding punishments for the underclassmen 2CL, 3CL, and 4CL of the Cadet Corps Armed Forces of the Philippines," Duterte said.
"Show to me your face. Who are to be pardoned? The number one is for rape. P***** i** (Son of a b****). Number two is drugs with rape with robbery. Para sa Muntinlupa ito (This one is for Muntinlupa). Pangatlo (Third), multiple rape of the women of Baguio, the beautiful ones," he added.
Duterte has repeatedly earned public ire because of his distasteful remarks against women, including his jokes about rape.
While he was still a presidential candidate, he joked about the 1989 rape case of Australian missionary worker Jaqueline Hamil.
As president, he has also threatened to shoot female rebels in the genitals, and attributed the high number of rape cases in Davao City to beautiful women.
In March, Duterte 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. (Ruth Abbey Gita/SunStar Philippines)