Rape victim was 'so beautiful' Filipino presidential candidate wishes he had 'been first'

Rape is no joking matter, but not for Rodrigo Duterte, a front-running candidate for president of the Philippines.

Dutere, 71, made a joke in reference to the brutal gang rape and murder of missionary Jacqueline Hamill at a Davao City jail back in 1989. ““They raped all of the women … There was this Australian lay minister … when they took them out … I saw her face and I thought: ‘Son of a b****h. What a pity … they raped her, they all lined up. I was mad she was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first.”

In 1989, Australian national Jacqueline Hamill was raped and killed during a riot at the prison where she worked in the southern Philippines’ Davao City. Duterte, who has served as mayor of Davao for 22 years, was caught on tape referring to the incident during a campaign speech on Sunday.

However, he has refused to apologise after he was severely criticised, saying that it was “not a joke” but spoken due to his “utter rage” over the incident. “I said it in the heat of anger.”

Duterte has been widely condemned for the remarks. Fellow presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe, who has dropped into second place in latest opinion polls, said the comments “reflect his disrespect for women.” Vice-President Jejomar Binay, who is also running for the top job, went so far as to release a statement describing Duterte as a “crazy maniac.”

Image: Rodrigo Duterte. Photograph: Reuters