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Philippines: “Rape Joke” too sick even for Duterte’s standards
Akbayan condemns this latest horrendous remark of President Rodrigo Duterte making light of rape in front of our troops.
While the President and his allies might defend his statements as an attempt at levity, rape can never be considered as a joke especially when rape, as he has illustrated with his depraved humor, is utilized as an implement of war.
Although such statements of blatant misogyny and sexism are not the exception but the rule for Duterte, such utterances should never be normalized. It is without a doubt that Duterte’s previous remarks, starting from the time he was still a presidential candidate when he joked about the rape and murder of a foreign missionary, to the overt misogyny he and his allies have applied towards vocal women critics, has served to lower the bar for the presidency. However such statements from our public servants should never be countenanced, whether in the private or public spheres.
It should also be pointed out that his statement, while intended to elicit laughter from similarly degenerate minds among those in the audience, serve to goad our soldiers to commit a war crime. As a son of Mindanao and a son of a Marcos critic, he should be aware of the numerous atrocities that the Marcos military committed against many Mindanaoan women.
But it seems, we cannot expect Mr. Duterte to desist from making those remarks on the grounds that as the highest official of the country he is sworn to protect the human rights of every citizen. He has practically spat on the idea of human rights, threatened human rights defenders, and has defended law enforcement officials who have violated human rights. Yes, there is little to expect from him in that regard.
However, as the first Mindanaoan president, he should be more prudent in his choice of words when addressing our troops currently deployed to fight terrorism under the auspices of martial law in Mindanao. Obviously the current Armed Forces of the Philippines while not perfect, is not the same Marcos-era AFP, but their commander in chief seems to be pining for them to be otherwise.
Yes, we don’t presume Duterte respects women. But even he and his allies should admit that goading our troops to rape as a punchline for a joke, is too sick even for him.
Machris Cabreros, Akbayan President
https://akbayan.org.ph/news
Although such statements of blatant misogyny and sexism are not the exception but the rule for Duterte, such utterances should never be normalized. It is without a doubt that Duterte’s previous remarks, starting from the time he was still a presidential candidate when he joked about the rape and murder of a foreign missionary, to the overt misogyny he and his allies have applied towards vocal women critics, has served to lower the bar for the presidency. However such statements from our public servants should never be countenanced, whether in the private or public spheres.
It should also be pointed out that his statement, while intended to elicit laughter from similarly degenerate minds among those in the audience, serve to goad our soldiers to commit a war crime. As a son of Mindanao and a son of a Marcos critic, he should be aware of the numerous atrocities that the Marcos military committed against many Mindanaoan women.
But it seems, we cannot expect Mr. Duterte to desist from making those remarks on the grounds that as the highest official of the country he is sworn to protect the human rights of every citizen. He has practically spat on the idea of human rights, threatened human rights defenders, and has defended law enforcement officials who have violated human rights. Yes, there is little to expect from him in that regard.
However, as the first Mindanaoan president, he should be more prudent in his choice of words when addressing our troops currently deployed to fight terrorism under the auspices of martial law in Mindanao. Obviously the current Armed Forces of the Philippines while not perfect, is not the same Marcos-era AFP, but their commander in chief seems to be pining for them to be otherwise.
Yes, we don’t presume Duterte respects women. But even he and his allies should admit that goading our troops to rape as a punchline for a joke, is too sick even for him.
Machris Cabreros, Akbayan President
https://akbayan.org.ph/news
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All empires at origin conquered the natural equality of the women to men which ruled before the conquest. Unity is strength and opposes enslaving of the working classes. This was done because unity of the specie was and is opposed to slavery, feudalism, and monopoly capitalism all of which societies are still run and ordered by male domination till this day.
Fifty-fifty electing restores the natural balance of the specie as women access half the law making that allows the natural harmony and joy of the specie to return so happy man and women can be again politically, culturally,. judicially, organically and religio-wise.
Male domination of the nations has split the unity of the specie and caused aggressive wars and Pollution to take place. You yet have a world to win!! Voila! Egalite' pour la femme dans la revolution. Workers of the world unite!!
Fifty-fifty electing restores the natural balance of the specie as women access half the law making that allows the natural harmony and joy of the specie to return so happy man and women can be again politically, culturally,. judicially, organically and religio-wise.
Male domination of the nations has split the unity of the specie and caused aggressive wars and Pollution to take place. You yet have a world to win!! Voila! Egalite' pour la femme dans la revolution. Workers of the world unite!!
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