Duterte: I believe in women’s competence but...

President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday he has faith in the competence of women, but stressed that there are some jobs that are not appropriate for them.

Duterte made the statement as he repeatedly faced criticism for his remarks on women, prompting some female activists to launch a social media campaign to call out his supposed misogyny. 

"We [men] grew up with a sort of mindset na sometimes prone to violence. Itong mga babae prim and proper man 'yan. Isang tingin lang sa nanay niyan matunaw na yan tapos gawin mong pulis ipaaway mo dun sa [kriminal]," the President said in a speech in Davao City.

"Hindi sa wala akong bilib. I believe in the woman; the competence and capability. Pero hindi lahat sa buhay. Dapat lang. It's not appropriate. When you cannot stand threats and intimidation gaya ngayon ikaw mag-operate sa drugs. Tapos they [criminals] send you a picture of your son or daughter coming out from the school," he said.

Various quarters have criticized Duterte for his previous remarks, including ordering troops to shoot female rebels in the vagina and telling soldiers to rape women in Marawi at the height of the military campaign against the Islamic State-inspired Maute group that laid siege to the city.

Just recently, Duterte said the next Supreme Court chief justice should not be a politician nor a woman.

Duterte's top aide, Christopher "Bong" Go, said on Wednesday it was unfair to paint Duterte as someone who looks down on women.

Go said his boss for two decades now has "high respect for women," citing programs that uphold women’s rights while Duterte was still mayor of Davao City, including the landmark Women Development Code and the creation of the Integrated Gender Development Division.

Malacañang, meanwhile, cited the recent appointments of women to high government posts. — RSJ, GMA News