Duterte not aware of removal of comfort women statue

April 29, 2018

DAVAO CITY – President Rodrigo Duterte said early Sunday he was unaware of the removal of the statue of Filipino comfort women along Roxas Boulevard in Manila but he added government may not tolerate it as it was in a public place. “Whose initiative was it? I really do not know. I don't even know that it exists,” he replied to the query after the Department of Public Works and Highways personnel removed the statue for a drainage project on Friday. Duterte said, however, the statue “has created somehow a bad, you know”. “You can place it somewhere else. If you want to place in a private property, fine,” he added. He admonished using it anew to pressure the Japanese government to admit to its World War II sins on maintaining women to provide sexual services to Japanese Imperial Army. He said “it is not the policy of government to antagonize other nations”. “That issue, in so far as I'm concerned, it’s over,” Duterte said. Duterte said the reparation has started many years ago, “so, let us not insult them”. “If there is what you would call a memorial for an injustice committed at one time, it's all right. If is erected in a private property, fine. We will honor it. And the Japanese government and people would understand it that there is democracy here, freedom of expression is very important,” he added. “But do not use government because it would reflect now on us... It's practically the same in South Korea, the comfort women. So much water has passed (under the bridge),” he said. Duterte said it would be painful “if it is repeated all over again. And you start to imagine how they were treated badly. But Japan has apologized to the Filipinos. And they have certainly paid much more than... in terms of reparation”. DMS