Palace: Duterte’s remarks vs. women ‘mere play of words’

Malacañang on Wednesday dismissed as "mere play of words" President Rodrigo Duterte's remarks against women after an online campaign was launched slamming the chief executive's pronouncements.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement after female activists, including Duterte's former Social Welfare secretary Judy Taguiwalo, introduced the #BabaeAko social media campaign against sexism.

"We reiterate that the President’s recent remarks on women are a mere play of words. PRRD’s [Duterte's] statement reflects his growing frustration over the continuous and non-stop tirades against his administration by the ousted Chief Justice and the Ombudsman," Roque said.

Duterte had repeatedly called out former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno for accusing him of having a hand in her ouster, which was triggered by a petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida on the ground of lack of eligibility.

Following Sereno's ouster, Duterte said her successor should neither be a politician nor a woman.

The President has sparred with retiring Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales over her agency's probe into his alleged ill-gotten wealth.

Various quarters have also criticized Duterte for ordering troops to shoot female rebels in the vagina and telling soldiers to rape women in Marawi at the height of the military campaign against the Islamic State-inspired Maute group that laid siege to the city.

"President Duterte’s way of self-expression has always been taken out of context but, to say that President Duterte is not pro-women and looks down on women is truly unfair. These allegations are clearly political," Special Assistant to the President Christopher "Bong" Go said.

Go then enumerated Duterte's policies concerning women when the latter was mayor of Davao City.

"He has high respect for women. In fact, he has pushed for local laws and created programs that uphold women’s rights while he was still mayor of Davao City including the landmark Women Development Code and the creation of the Integrated Gender Development Division of Davao city," he said. 

"Because of these advocacies, Davao City has been recognized as a Gender and Development Local Learning Hub in the Philippines," Go added.

To prove that Duterte is pro-women, Roque cited the recent appointments of Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat to the Department of Tourism, Acting Secretary Virginia Orogo to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Commissioner Socorro Inting to the Commission on Elections. —KBK, GMA News