Duterte refuses to apologize for rape joke

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday refused to apologize for his callous remarks on the rape and killing of an Australian lay minister, explaining that what he intended was to express anger over the crime.

“Totoo yon. Sinabi ko yon. Gutter language, but it was expressed in utter anger,” Duterte said.

In a YouTube video uploaded by user "Beatboxer Ng Pinas," Duterte can be seen and heard recounting a 1989 Davao City prison riot, during which five visiting missionaries were killed. Among those killed was Australian lay missionary Jacqueline Hamill, who was also raped by inmates.

Duterte was heard saying, "P-- ina, sayang. Ang napasok sa isip ko, ni-rape nila, pinagpilahan nila lahat doon."

He added, "Nagalit ako kasi ni-rape? Oo. Isa rin 'yun. Pero napakaganda, dapat mayor muna ang nauna. Sayang."

Duterte defended his statement, saying it was the language he grew up speaking. “Sabi ko, o ito, ang ganda ganda pa, mukhang artista, p--- ina naunahan pa ako. Patayin mo lahat. Sa galit yon. i was not joking. That’s my explanation. That’s it. If you don’t believe it, the videos can show for it,” he explained.

The Davao City mayor added that it did not matter to him if his statement costs him the presidency. “If it brings me down, let it bring me down. If it brings me up to the presidency, then well and good. I will serve you but I will not as a matter of honor apologize for it,” he said.

However, in a Sunday evening report on GMA 7 news program "24 Oras Weekend", Duterte did say that he was sorry if he offended anybody. "Sorry kung hindi nagustuhan nung iba," he stated.

— Kiersnerr Gerwin Tacadena/DVM, GMA News