Duterte’s spokesperson says kiss with OFW a ‘playful act’ accepted in Filipino culture 

Harry Roque (left) and President Rodrigo Duterte kissing OFW Bea Kim (right). (Photos from ABS-CBN News)
Harry Roque (left) and President Rodrigo Duterte kissing OFW Bea Kim (right). (Photos from ABS-CBN News)

Harry Roque to the rescue!

Yesterday, the presidential spokesperson once again defended Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, this time for the controversial public kiss he shared with an overseas Filipino worker (OFW).

“I believe that an overwhelming majority of Filipinos continue to support the President and found the kiss a light moment that is very accepted in the culture of Filipinos,” he said in a television interview with CNN Philippines.

He also called it a “playful act.”

The incident in question happened in Seoul, South Korea on Sunday when Duterte called married OFW Bea Kim to come up onstage to claim a book he was giving away.

In exchange for the “gift,” the president asked for a kiss.

The moment was caught on camera and has been widely shared online, drawing criticism from netizens and activists.

Women’s group Gabriela spoke out against the president yesterday, calling the kiss a “disgusting theatrics of a misogynist President who feels entitled to demean, humiliate or disrespect women according to his whim.”

However, in an interview with the government-run Philippine News Agency (PNA) posted yesterday, Kim said that there was “no malice” in the kiss and even said that she was happy to have met the president.

“I can’t explain it. It’s like I was nervous, I was scared, excited, thankful. I was happy because it’s like a once in a lifetime experience, right? Even in the Philippines, it’s a longshot to see the president that close,” Kim said in Filipino.

Her reaction, Roque said, shows that the kiss is a non-issue.

“Obviously there is no offended party here. The lady who was kissed has clearly expressed the view that she was honored with the kiss,” he said.

“She did say there was no malice in it and I don’t think we should impute any when the woman herself found no malice in it. It was not an issue to the woman so it was not an issue to the president.”

In the PNA interview, Kim also said that the kiss was only done to “thrill” the audience.

And Roque said it’s totally fine because other people in the audience seemed to like it.

“And if you were there, the Filipino community appreciated the act. It was an act of endearment intended towards all OFWs,” he said in the CNN Philippine interview.

So a group of cheering people is all it takes to make something OK? Hmm.



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