Panelo on Duterte: ‘Komedyante siya in a way’

President Rodrigo Duterte has always been one to make "jokes," even back in the day when he was Mayor of Davao City, presidential spokesperson and chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo said Wednesday.

"I've been listening to the President for the last thirty years, during his term as mayor. Ganu'n talaga ang style niya. Talagang he creates a situation and makes a joke out of it. He jokes about me, he jokes about a lot of people," he told GMA News' Howie Severino in an interview on "News to Go" when asked whether he would advise Duterte on his supposedly humorous remarks. 

"Ano siya eh, parang komedyante siya, in a way. Parang nagpapatawa lang talaga siya...Kaya nga ang audience, natutuwa sa kanya," he added.

The President, who has wished death on bishops on more than one occasion, recently asked the public to spare members of the clergy from harassment.

Malacañang has repeatedly lambasted Duterte's critics for "politicizing" his harsh rhetoric against the clergy which, Panelo said, was only "joke and hyperbole."

After Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David confirmed on Tuesday that he has received death threats in recent weeks, Panelo was asked to weigh in on some of Duterte's "jokes" that could be taken seriously and potentially encourage violence against Church leaders.

Panelo was also asked to straighten out any confusion caused by the President's conflicting statements.

The spokesperson, however, insisted that the public is able to tell when the President is joking.

"When he made the statement na do not touch these priests kasi kayo'y mananagot sa'kin—'yun ang katotohanan, kasi galit siya eh," he said.

"Pero 'pag sinabi niya 'yung mga...kasi alam mo, mahahalata mo naman ang Presidente 'pag nagbibiro eh. May mga galaw siyang yung mga mukha niya na he is making faces—biro lang 'yun. Pa-kuwela niya lang 'yun," he added. — Margaret Claire Layug/BM, GMA News