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Take Duterte's words with a grain of salt —political analyst


Political analyst Professor Ramon Casiple said on Tuesday that President Rodrigo Duterte's words should be taken with a grain of salt amid his recent controversial joke about using marijuana.

"Payo ko sa lahat, tingnan niyo yung ginagawa at wag 'yung salita," Casiple said in an interview on GMA News TV's "Balitanghali."

He also advised the media to place in context the President's statements.

"Unconventional, pwede nating sabihin, pero lalo na sa mga mamamahayag, sa ating mga nasa media eh cautious kayo dapat sa mga ganyan. Tingnan niyo muna 'yung susunod na statement o kaya 'yung lohika ng kanyang mga sinasabi," he added.

Casiple claimed that the president only uses jests as a "feedback mechanism" among his wide audience.

"Maggagawa siya ng ganyang mga statement and then tinitingnan niya kung sino magre-react," he said.

Asked if Duterte's controversial quips befit his position, Casiple said the public should remove their own concept of an ideal president.

"Kung may ideya kayo kung ano dapat ang presidente, alisin niyo na sa minds niyo [dahil] hindi kayo ang presidente. Kumbaga you have an idea of how a president should behave, this one is not behaving that way, eh wala tayong magagawa dyan, you really have to read him," he said.

On Monday, Duterte said he uses marijuana to stay awake amid his hectic schedule.

Later on, he told the reporters that he was just kidding.

“I want to shake the tree. Boring ‘pag wala. Alam mo naman nagpapatawa talaga ako,” Duterte said.

“It was a joke of course. It was a joke but nobody can stop me from just doing my style minsan sabi niyo misogynist ako biro ako ng ganun that’s my style, it’s too late to change if I want to joke I will joke. Kung maniwala kayo g*** kayo,” he added. —Dona Magsino/ LDF, GMA News

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