Palace defends Duterte’s womanizing joke in the midst of disaster meeting

November 16, 2020

Malacanang defended on Monday President Rodrigo Duterte's cracking of joke about womanizing in the midst of a disaster response meeting, which was responded by another official by another joke about sex.

In a meeting in Pili, Camarines Sur on Sunday, Duterte told his former law school classmate Social Welfare Undersecretary for Bicol Affairs Marvel Clavecilla that he was getting old because of "too much womanizing."

In response, Clavecilla said, "According to Cong. LRay (Villafuerte), I'm under sexed...that's why if possible, make me secretary so that I'm no longer under sexed."

In a televised press briefing on Monday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte was just trying to enlighten the situation amid the so many problems the country is facing.

"Let's not read anything beyond the fact that the President wants to more or less lighten the mood because during the whole day, what he only saw were disasters in Cagayan and Naga (City). So, let's leave it at that, let's give our President a light moment," he said.

Camarines Sur was one of the provinces devastated by Super Typhoon "Rolly" and Typhoon "Ulysses."

Prior to his visit in Camarines Sur, Duterte went to Tuguegarao City, Cagayan where most areas were submerged in water due to Ulysses. Celerina Monte/DMS