Gabriela: Duterte's remarks about Robredo 'perpetuate sexist bullying'

President Rodrigo Duterte's remarks about Vice President Leni Robredo "perpetuate sexist bullying," a women's group allied with the chief executive said on Wednesday.

In a statement, Gabriela Women's Party called Duterte's comments "inappropriate."

"These do not only perpetuate and encourage sexist bullying, it also clouds the more important issues of governance that he hopes to convey," the statement read.

Former Gabriela party-list representative Liza Maza is Duterte's anti-poverty chief.

"We encourage Pres. Duterte to channel his interest on women in uplifting their lives, economically, politically and culturally," said the group.

In a speech in Tacloban City on Tuesday, Duterte cracked jokes about how he supposedly ogled Robredo during the Cabinet meetings. He also asked the Vice President if she has a boyfriend, then joked that if it were true, he would have to kill a congressman to make her a widow anew.

Robredo called the comments improper, saying that the country's leaders, should not make "tasteless remarks" about women. She said she deliberately chose to ignore the comments.

Duterte defended his comments, saying it was typical for politicians to make their audience laugh, as he lashed out those who tried to put him in a bad light when he said those comments.

"You want to depict me as bastos? You can. Have your day. It’s not my concern to impose this standard kung ‘yan ang ano--do not put a levitation or cast aspersion, sa mga biro ko kasi ako, hindi ako heneral, politiko ako," he said. —JST, GMA News