Duterte hopes  to personally apologize to Pope Francis

He may not be flying to the Vatican City any time soon, but tough talking presidential aspirant Rodrigo Duterte has expressed a desire to personally apologize to Pope Francis.

"Maybe just to talk... But if I meet him personally, then say I'm sorry," the Davao City told reporters on Thursday.

"He [could] pray for my tongue that it would not go astray again," he added.

In a speech on national television formally declaring his presidential bid last November 30, Duterte laced his speech with profanities. It did not stop when he told an anecdote about Pope Francis' visit to the Philippines last year.

"Sabi ko, 'Bakit?' Sabi sarado na [ang daan]. Sabi ko, 'Sinong darating?' Sabi si Pope. Gusto kong tawagan, 'Pope, p— ina ka, umuwi ka na. 'Wag ka nang bumisita dito," he quipped.

Duterte's speech drew flak from church officials in the Philippines, who also slammed his reputation as a womanizer.

The tough-talking mayor, meanwhile, met with clergymen from Davao City to try to put the issue to rest. —JST, GMA News