Swiss journalist finds Panelo’s ‘f—k/pack’ joke not funny

The Swiss journalist who interviewed Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Secretary Salvador Panelo said his controversial remark on "f—king" or "packing" his clothes "like an 18-year-old" was inappropriate.

Karin Wenger, a journalist for the Swiss National Public Radio, is in Cagayan De Oro City after covering the recently ended armed conflict in Marawi City.

"It doesn't show any respect for women. It's kind of concerning that someone in a position of power, reflects the government, has no respect ... for women," Wenger said in Chino Gaston's report on State of the Nation on Thursday.

Wenger sent a clip of that specific part of the interview to GMA News Online.

Below is the audio clip Wenger sent and GMA News Online uploaded online with her permission:

Panelo on Thursday denied saying “f— my clothes" in a recent interview over Swiss radio.

“Nagtanong siya about my age, so ang sagot ko sa kanya, ‘Somebody told me I pack my clothes like an 18 year old.’ Ang intindi niya doon sa ‘pack, p-a-c-k,’ nung trinanscribe niyang ginawa niyang ‘f-u-c-k,’” Panelo said in a radio interview.

“Kaya natatawa na lang ako sa kanya eh. Hindi lang natatawa na, in fact, inano ko sila eh… tinext ko sila eh. Sabi ko, you purposely twisted the words from ‘p-a-c-k to f-u-c-k’ to suit your anti-administration sentiment,” he added.

Panelo said he had yet to receive a response.

He said he was already talking about personal matters with Southeast Asia correspondent Karin Wenger when he made the particular remark.

He said the phrase "I pack my clothes like an 18-year-old" meant he was still "strong as a bull".

When it was pointed out to him that he also said in the same interview that he was "better in bed", he said he didn't mean it to say it as a lewd remark.

"Ang ibig ba namang sabihin nung better in bed, mahusay akong mag-ayos ng bed ko. Kasi alam mo, bata pa ako—kaming mga Panelo children—ang nanay kong napaka-istrikta, hindi pupuwedeng magising ka na hindi mo inaayos ang bed mo. Kailangan paggising mo maayos kaagad iyong bed mo, hanggang ngayon ganoon ang ugali ko," Panelo said. —NB/KG, GMA News