Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte did not hold back on deciding to clarify his most recent rape remark and reminded an unsuspecting Chelsea Clinton of the scandal her father was once embroiled in.
Duterte’s response came after the younger Clinton sent out a tweet condemning the president’s comments about rape, asserting his retaliation during an event commemorating the 119th anniversary of the Philippine Navy.
Having been known as sharp-tongued leader over the years, Duterte brought up her father’s past sexual exploits.
“When your father, the President of the United States, was screwing Lewinsky and the girls there in the White House, how did you feel?” Duterte asked. “Did you slam your father?”
The Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal came to light in 1998. Clinton ended a televised speech with the statement that he did not have sexual relations with Lewinsky. Further investigation led to charges of perjury and resulted in the impeachment of President Clinton in 1998 by the U.S. House of Representatives and his subsequent acquittal on all impeachment charges of perjury and obstruction of justice in a 21-day Senate trial.
Chelsea Clinton: ‘Duterte is a murderous thug’
The younger Clinton was among those who questioned Duterte’s character, joining the chorus of condemnation over Duterte’s remark, saying even if his soldiers rape up to three women each, he would “take responsibility,” after declaring Martial Law in the city of Marawi City in Mindanao.
In a tweet, the former first daughter said, “Duterte is a murderous thug with no regard for human rights. It's important to keep pointing that out, and that rape is never a joke.”
Duterte: ‘I am a man of sarcasm’
Duterte, now globally condemned for the widespread extrajudicial killings in the Philippines and the application of bounty on any and all corpses, declared martial law in all of Mindanao, as local extremists Maute unite to support the Islamic State group ISIS.
The Philippine military’s most recent report indicated at least 13 members of Maute were killed in the ongoing clearing operations. Out of 13 fatalities, only two bodies were recovered. Meanwhile, 31 soldiers have been wounded, and among those unfortunately killed are five members of the AFP and two police officers.
Upon taking the presidential seat, Duterte frequented the headlines for his foul-mouthed tirades and jokes leaning onto inappropriate. Referring to his most recent rape comments this time, he told Navy officers: “I was not joking, I was being sarcastic.”
He added, he only said those words to stress his full support for his men who are now battling local terrorists in Marawi City. “For this martial law and the consequences of martial law and the ramifications of martial law, I and I alone would be responsible,” Duterte promised.