Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte cracked rape jokes once again during the Philippine Military Academy’s (PMA) graduation rites in Fort General Gregorio Del Pilar in Baguio City yesterday.
During the graduation rites of the PMA Mabalasik Class of 2019, Duterte signed a document pardoning all outstanding punishments for second class, third class, and fourth class cadets of the Cadet Corps Armed Forces of the Philippines. The pardoning of offenses is a yearly tradition.
The president pretended to read the offenses to be pardoned, which he said concerned rape.
“The number one is for rape. Son of a bitch,” he said in English and Filipino.
“The number two is drugs with rape with robbery,” he joked, adding that these cadets are bound to go to Muntinlupa City where the New Bilibid Prison is. “The third is multiple rapes of the women of Baguio.”
He also joked that the PMA cadets were acting like the police when they refused to raise their hands after asking if they have committed offenses.
“You’re like cops. You already learned from the police who don’t want to admit [mistakes],” Duterte said.
The president said that he was ready to pardon the cadets because he needs the manpower.
“I need good and capable soldiers and I know that one or two is bound to happen, [but] I will forgive you,” he said.
“You are all pardoned, congratulations,” Duterte said.
Late last night, feminist group GABRIELA (General Assembly Binding Women for Reforms, Integrity, Equality, Leadership, and Action) slammed Duterte’s latest rape jokes.
“The sexist President is doing his infamous rape joke in his comfort zone, the training ground for his macho-fascist state machinery that perpetrates violations on women and the people,” the statement reads.
“He has made rape jokes multiple times because he thinks people are amused by that sort of disgracefulness,” Joms Salvador, GABRIELA’s Secretary General said.
Salvador pointed out how Duterte is absolving the cadets from accountability at an early stage of their careers and “prodding them to commit offenses and not be held accountable because they are ‘good and capable’ soldiers anyway.”
“In itself, the institution is a breeding ground for human rights violators. Women graduates, who even exceed in their classes, would not change the macho-fascist orientation of the PMA,” the statement added.
Cadet 1st Class Dionne Mae Umalla, who hails from Ilocos Sur province, is this year’s class valedictorian. She is the fifth female to have topped a graduating class since the PMA started accepting women in 1993.
“Instead of joining the PMA, the youth should stand up for the people and the country and put misogynists like Duterte in their proper place: in the garbage bins of history,” Salvador said.
GABRIELA slams Duterte’s latest rape joke
“Walang kadala-dala itong bastos na Presidente. Matapos ng matagal na pagkawala sa mata ng publiko, magpapakita siya at maghahasik na naman ng kabastusan. " pic.twitter.com/fWokCrLEMa— GABRIELA | A National Alliance of Women (@gabrielaphils) May 26, 2019
Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Oscar Albayalde said today that Duterte’s latest remarks about rape were “obviously a joke.” He said that the crime of rape would never be pardoned at PMA.
“The offenses at PMA are basically like excess demerits, like when you get caught at an unauthorized place, or [the cadet had] unshined shoes. Nothing on rape, I can assure you that,” Albayalde was quoted by GMA News.
Duterte has made multiple rape jokes in other speeches before. He said in August 2018 that Davao City has “many beautiful women,” which is why it a high number of rape cases. The following month, he defended his Davao City rape joke and cited freedom of expression as his excuse.
In May 2017, Duterte spoke at a military camp after declaring martial law in Mindanao and said that soldiers were allowed to rape up to three women.
When he was just campaigning to be president in April 2016, he also said he “should have been [the] first [person]” to gang rape an Australian missionary in Davao because she was “beautiful.” It’s a statement he has refused to apologize for.
