President Rodrigo Duterte downplayed the criticisms he received from the people who attacked him for kissing a married Overseas Filipino Worker during his visit in South Korea on June 3.
Duterte answered the reporter who asked the question about the kissing sarcastically.
“We enjoyed it, it was showbiz and everybody enjoyed,” Duterte said during a press conference after his arrival from his three-day official visit in South Korea.
Duterte explained that if his controversial kissing gimmick is pure of malice, he will not choose to do it in front of many people.
“Asking for malice, we do not do it in public if there’s malice. I would pull the woman down somewhere along empty halls,” he said.
He said that the critics might be only jealous on what he did to the lady.
“Ayaw ko makipagpalitan sa kanila (ng halik) kasi bad breath sila, inggit lang (sila)” he said.
Duterte explained that he has already kissed many girls in Davao when he was still a mayor.
“During my campaign in mayorship, I kiss every woman there, lips to lips. Ayaw mong maniwala? Tignan mo footage ng ABS-CBN,” he told the reporter.
He said that there’s nothing wrong with a simple kiss.
The critics have also reminded President Duterte to change their denture.
“Inggit lang sila sabihin mo sa kanila palitan nila pustiso nila,” he said.
The President also avoided answering when asked about the reaction of his common-law-wife Honeylet Avancia.
Duterte also expressed his concern about the reaction of his youngest daughter Kitty Duterte on what he did, so he might let cool the situation first before going back to Davao City.
Following the controversial kissing of President Duterte, several pro-women groups criticized the punisher for allegedly trying to show that he can dominate every woman anywhere, anytime.
The lady who kissed by President Duterte, Mrs. Bea Kim also defended the President saying that what they did has no malice and they’re just trying to make the audience happy.
However, the GABRIELA said that the Kim was not the right person to defend the President from his “misogyny” acts.
“It is also his own perverted way of getting back at his women critics, his way of proving he can dominate women at any time and any place he chooses. It is his way of publicly exhibiting his contempt for women.”
Gabriela said in their statement.