Duterte’s ‘bakla’ remark vs. Goldberg wasn’t meant for public to hear —Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte’s gay slur directed at US Ambassador Philip Goldberg was not meant for the public to hear, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Presidential spokesman Secretary Ernesto Abella made the remarks even as Duterte's speech before the troops in Cebu City on August 5 was aired live on government television PTV-4.

The message, which had Duterte calling Goldberg 'bakla', was also streamed via Facebook live on PTV's account.

"First and foremost, it was not meant to be a public statement. It was really addressed to a certain audience and the comments were confined specifically to the audience," Abella said in a news briefing.

Abella said that the Philippines' charge d'affaires in Washington already went to the US Department of State to explain the controversial remarks.

"The explanations have been made. The explanations have been properly made," he said without elaborating on how Filipino charge d'affaires Patrick Chuasoto explained the President's statement to the US State Department.

The inappropriate remark was not in the official transcript Malacañang released after the event in Cebu City.

Abella dodged questions if the Philippine government apologized to the US over the said remarks.

"I'm saying that he went and explained," he answered.

In a speech delivered at Camp Lapu-Lapu in Cebu City on August 5 and televised nationwide, Duterte called Goldberg “bakla” or “gay” for comments the envoy made during the presidential campaign.

“Okay naman kami niya [US Secretary of State John Kerry]. Nag-away kami ng Ambassador niyang bakla. P— i—. Buwisit ako diyan. Nakikisali doon sa eleksyon, giving statement here and there. He was not supposed to do that,” Duterte told the soldiers.

Despite what the Washington journalists called "insulting" remarks against Goldberg, Duterte in a speech delivered in Zamboanga del Sur on Wednesday reiterated that the Philippines remains a strong ally of the United States.

But Duterte stood ground on his opinion that Goldberg should have not made comments during the election period.

"Pasagdi nalang na akong tirada sa ilang ambassador kay tinuod man na. Simply the truth at the time of election. Nganong muhatag man ka ug statement when the election is going on [Just ignore my tirades against their ambassador because they were true anyway. Simply the truth at the time of election. Why would he give a statement when the election is going on]?" the President said.

"Wala kay labot diha. That is our business. Kampanya gud ito [You should not have meddled. That is our business. It was the campaign season]," he added.

The rift between Duterte and Goldberg began during the campaign period when then PDP-Laban presidential candidate made remarks about the rape of an Australian missionary in 1989 in Davao City.

Australian Ambassador Amanda Gorely on Twitter wrote that rape and murder should never be trivialized. Goldberg seconded Gorely's sentiments, which irked Duterte.

Duterte then dared the United States and Australia to cut off diplomatic ties with the Philippines after their respective envoys commented on his viral joke on the rape.

Goldberg paid at least two courtesy calls on Duterte in Davao City and Malacanang after the elections.  — RSJ/NB, GMA News