Former President Rodrigo Duterte stirred controversy on Thursday with a remark about eliminating senators to make way for candidates he is backing in the upcoming midterm elections.
Speaking at the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) senatorial proclamation rally at Club Filipino in San Juan City, Duterte quipped in Filipino that the only way to create vacancies in the Senate was to “kill” current senators. His statement drew laughter from the audience.
“If we get rid of around 15 senators, then all of us can get in. But, of course, they’d be pitiful. Although, some of them can be quite irritating,” he added, further suggesting that a bomb would be the most effective way to accomplish this.
PDP-Laban has put forward nine candidates for the Senate in the May elections, including Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go, musician-lawyer Jimmy Bondoc, former Interior Undersecretary Jayvee Hinlo, ex-presidential adviser Raul Lambino, actor Philip Salvador, lawmaker Rodante Marcoleta, detained religious leader Apollo Quiboloy, and former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez.
Throughout his presidency, Duterte has been widely criticized for making numerous inappropriate and offensive remarks, particularly those trivializing serious issues like rape and violence. These comments have drawn condemnation from various human rights groups, women’s organizations, and international observers.
In 2016, during his presidential campaign, Duterte recounted an incident from 1989 where an Australian missionary was raped and killed during a prison riot in Davao City. He remarked that as mayor, he should have been first in line to assault the victim, a statement that was met with widespread outrage.
In 2017, addressing soldiers amid the imposition of martial law in Mindanao, Duterte joked that he would take responsibility for any crimes they committed, including rape, suggesting that if they raped three women, he would claim it as his own doing.
The following year, Duterte faced backlash for suggesting that female rebels should be shot in their genitals, rendering them “useless.” This comment was condemned as misogynistic and dehumanizing.
