Don't take the president literally, aide says, after women deride 'macho-fascist' Duterte

[Eugene]

LBN thread: Duterte tells Philippine soldiers to shoot female rebels in their vaginas

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Source: Reuters

WORLD NEWS FEBRUARY 13, 2018 / 7:18 AM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

Don't take the president literally, aide says, after women deride 'macho-fascist' Duterte

Reuters Staff
3 MIN READ

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte should be taken seriously, but not literally, his spokesman said on Tuesday, after the controversial leader drew criticism for saying he once ordered soldiers to shoot female Maoist insurgents in the genitals.

“I have been saying again and again, do not take the president literally but take him seriously,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque told reporters.

Roque said the context of Duterte’s Feb. 7 remarks was that he was angry that communist insurgents had betrayed his trust and forced a peace process with the government to collapse. He said the president had repeatedly proven that welfare of women was a priority for Duterte.

Speaking in his native Visayan dialect, Duterte was recalling an order he said he had given to troops when he was mayor of Davao City.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-duterte/dont-take-the-president-literally-aide-says-after-women-deride-macho-fascist-duterte-idUSKBN1FX1FQ

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Take him seriously but not literally. Don't they say the exact same thing about Trump?

[gordianot]

1. Dictators authoritarians are such clever jokers when they are kidding around.

People everywhere need to develop a sense of humor when confronted with threats and lies.