Palma rebukes Duterte for equating beauty with rape

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma. CDN PHOTO

“JUST because we are all beautiful people, it is not an excuse to rape and do harm upon others.”

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma on Saturday rebuked President Rodrigo Duterte, saying that the beauty of women should never be used as a reason to commit rape, even as a joke.

”We thank God we’re all handsome and beautiful, as children of the Lord, but it’s no excuse to rape. And my point is, rape should not be our response to beautiful people,” said Palma in an interview on Saturday after he celebrated Mass at the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Pedro Calungsod in Cebu City.

Palma said rape is a grave sin and must be abhorred by everyone, and urged the public to, as much as possible, live a decent life.

“(Rape) is a complex situation. We should respect one another. We know there are other factors (affecting it) but we shall try to live in such a way that people look to us as decent people,” he explained.

During his visit in Mandaue City last Thursday (August 30), President Duterte said in jest that Davao City had the highest number of rape cases in 2018 because “there are many beautiful women” in his hometown.

The President’s remark, which earned the ire of lawmakers and women’s group, came after data from the Philippine National Police (PNP) showed that Davao City has the highest number of rape cases in the Philippines in the second quarter of 2018.

This is not the first time Duterte, a self-confessed “womanizer,” drew criticisms for his rape remarks.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque later said the remarks of the country’s top government official must not be taken seriously.

“I don’t think we should give too much weight on what the President says by way of a joke,” said Roque.

Very disturbing joke

Several senators also found the President’s recent rape joke unacceptable.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, a staunch advocate for women’s rights, said the President’s joke was not funny at all.

In fact, she said, it was “very disturbing” to see a President who jokes about rape, which she said is the “vilest form of violence against women.”

“Rape is not a measure of beauty. It is not an act of admiration… I ask President Rodrigo Duterte: Is this how men admire women?” said the senator.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, on the other hand, said it has become tiring to comment on the jokes of President Duterte. He added that he sometimes refused to comment to the media on the President’s playful statements since his answer would just be the same.

“’Di ba nakakapagod ‘yung pabalik-balik ka na, ‘yun din naman ang pinag-uusapan [Is it not tiring when you always go back and forth but the topic is always the same]?” he said on Duterte’s jokes.