Women are competent but they ‘melt’ – Duterte

AMID criticisms hurled against him over his supposedly misogynistic behavior, President Rodrigo Duterte has tried to appease his critics by saying he believes women are competent and capable, but could not stand “threats and intimidation.”

In his remarks in Davao City on Thursday night, Duterte said he still trusted the capabilities and competence of women, but stressed that some jobs were not for them.

“We get used to fist fights, scrimmages, and shooting incidents. And we grew up with a sort of a mindset that sometimes is prone to violence,” the President said.

“Women are prim and proper. With just one look of their mothers, they will melt. And you will make them cops? It’s not that I don’t believe them. I believe in the woman, their competence and capability but not in all aspects of life... It’s not appropriate,” he added.

Duterte made the remark after women activists launched a social media campaign using the hashtag #BabaeAko to lash out at his derogatory remarks against women.

The President earned the ire of women activists over his controversial remark that he would not appoint a woman to the Ombudsman or the Supreme Court.

Women activists, including former social welfare secretary Judy Taguiwalo, called on women to “fight back” against Duterte.

On Wednesday, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go came to Duterte’s defense, saying the President’s style of self-expression “has always been taken out of context.”

Contrary to what others believe, Duterte has “high respect for women,” he said. Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr., meanwhile, said the President’s statement was “a mere play of words.”

“PRRD’s (Duterte’s) statement reflects his growing frustration over the continuous and non-stop tirades against his administration by the ousted chief justice and the ombudsman,” Roque said in a statement on Wednesday.