Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, whose rape jokes have sparked outrage in the past, yesterday drew fresh flak after signing a law against sexual harassment, with campaigners saying that his role as “misogynist-in-chief” would make implementation challenging.
Duterte, who has been accused of sexual harassment on multiple occasions, in April signed the law that prohibits behavior such as catcalling and sexist slurs, according to the text released on Monday.
The 74-year-old was “the single most brazen violator of the law’s intent with his staple macho-fascist remarks,” women’s rights political party Gabriela said on Twitter. “Under this context, implementing the law will certainly be a challenge.”
Photo: AP
The law imposes fines and, in some cases, prison sentences for sexual harassment on the streets, in schools and in offices, including wolf-whistling, groping, misogynistic slurs, as well as uninvited comments or gestures referring to a person’s appearance.
Opposition Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros, the law’s author, welcomed its passage, saying that it would plug gaps in previous legislation against sexual harassment, but added that it was “only as good as how it is implemented.”
Duterte has stirred controversy in the past over his treatment of women.
In 2016, he wolf-whistled a female journalist during a nationally televised news conference, while last year he kissed a Filipina woman on the lips onstage during a visit to South Korea in a move that prompted accusations of abuse of power.
The president last year urged soldiers to shoot female guerillas in the vagina.
He also provoked fury in 2016 when he said that he had wanted to rape a “beautiful” Australian missionary who had been sexually assaulted then murdered in a Philippine prison riot.
Referring to Duterte as “the misogynist-in-chief,” journalist and campaigner Inday Espina-Varona said that while the law was “long overdue, his signing it only rams home the truth: He believes himself above the law.”
Duterte’s arch-critic, detained Philippine Senator Leila De Lima, said that she hoped the president would not be exempt from compliance.
The president had repeatedly criticized De Lima over an affair, saying that she was “not only screwing her driver, she is also screwing the nation,” referring to drug trafficking charges that she said were politically motivated.
“If we count all his acts and comments disrespecting women since he came to power, the penalties under the law would be sorely lacking,” De Lima said in a statement.
Duterte spokesman Salvador Panelo said that the president would comply with the law, but rejected misogyny allegations.
“When he cracks jokes, it is intended to make people laugh, never to offend,” Salvador Panelo told reporters. “You women should know that. Misogyny is different from making people laugh.”
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from