Duterte ‘conscious’ not to offend LGBT community —Panelo

President Rodrigo Duterte is conscious not to offend the sensibilities of the LGBT community, his spokesperson said Tuesday, after the chief executive drew criticism after he claimed to have "cured" himself of being gay.

Duterte said in a speech before the Filipino community in Japan on May 30 that he used to be gay and that he became a man again after meeting current partner Honeylet Avanceña, prompting some groups to slam the President.

Phelim Kine, Asia division deputy director of the Human Rights Watch, said Duterte "publicly pathologizes" the LGBTQ identity by his claim. Gay and transgender advocacy group Bahaghari said the President's remark was "symptomatic of an even graver illness: one of ignorance, prejudice and hate."

In response, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said: "Baka naman ang ibig sabihin niyang gamot eh, nagpalit ako ng sexual orientation ko."

"Baka hindi naman iyong ganoon ang ibig niyang sabihin. But let me say that the President is always conscious on not offending the sensibilities of these special classes. Ano siya eh, mabait na tao si Presidente eh," the Palace official told reporters.

Panelo said he would ask Duterte if the latter was serious about his claim.

"Pero I don’t know if it should offend them. Bakit mao-offend ang gay community? Dapat matutuwa sila," he said. "Kung it was sexual orientation, ano naman masama kung palitan niya iyong sexual orientation niya?"

The World Health Organization (WHO) removed homosexuality from its list of mental diseases in 1990. —LDF, GMA News