Philippine Presidential Candidate Jokes About Gang Rape of Australian Woman

A YouTube video has emerged that shows Philippine presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte joking about a rape in 1989.

The Philippine outlet Rappler quotes Duterte:

All the women were raped so during the first assault, because they retreated, the bodies they used as a cover, one of them was the corpse of the Australian woman layminister. Tsk, this is a problem. When the bodies were brought out, they were wrapped. I looked at her face, son of a bitch, she looks like a beautiful American actress. Son of a bitch, what a waste. What came to mind was, they raped her, they lined up. I was angry because she was raped, that’s one thing. But she was so beautiful, the mayor should have been first. What a waste.

He spoke about the “rape and murder of an Australian missionary that took place in Davao City, in the country’s southeast, where he is mayor.”

Duterte claims he made the comment in anger and will not apologize.

“If it brings me down, let it bring me down. If it brings me up to the presidency, then well and good. I will serve you but I will not as a matter of honor apologize for (it),” he said.

In 1989, 15 inmates captured at least 15 church workers for two days. The military said the inmates raped Jacqueline Hamill, 36, and slashed her throat. The inmates also took a “9-year-old man and nine women from the Joyful Assemblies of God, a Protestant group, who were holding a Bible service in the prison.”

Rev. Fred Castillo escaped the situation. He told reporters and authorities that Hamill said “she and other female hostages had been raped.”

The Australian Embassy in the Philippines condemned Duterte’s comments.

“It is distasteful and unacceptable, and reflects his disrespect for women. No one, whoever she is and whatever her looks may be, deserves to be raped and abused. Rape is a crime and no laughing matter. We should all be outraged at abuses against women,” stated Sen. Grace Poe, another presidential candidate.

A woman who worked with Jacqueline posted this statement on her Facebook page:

Duterte has remained a controversial figure since he became mayor. Davao City once boasted the title of murder capital of the country, but human rights groups said he allowed executions on those considered “petty criminals.” He has also “said crime should be punished with death.”