Duterte rape remark irks poll commissioner

MANILA - PDP-Laban standard-bearer Rodrigo Duterte's remarks about an Australian gang-rape victim has earned the ire of one of the officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

In a statement, Commissioner Ma. Rowena Guanzon scored Duterte for his "disgusting joke" about the gang rape of Australian missionary Jaqueline Hamill, who was raped and killed during a prison riot in Davao City in 1989.

"Out of about 54.3 million Filipino voters, there are 27,896,668 women voters. That's 1.7 million more women voters than men. That's 27.9 Million women voters who CAN be raped. And Rodrigo Duterte, a presidential candidate, makes a disgusting 'joke' about it, talking about rape and murder victim Jacqueline Hamill, an Australian missionary who was taken hostage in a Davao City prison, as if she was not a human being," she said.

Guanzon said that as chairwoman of the Comelec gender and development committee, she will propose of Code of Conduct for Candidates "and will reform the election rules to emphasize gender sensitivity and gender equality."

Duterte, who built a reputation for fighting crime, has apologized for a rape comment that caused a political storm and could dent his chances of winning the presidency in an election less than three weeks away.

READ: Duterte defiant despite rape gaffe backlash

Duterte drew flak after saying during a recent campaign rally that "the mayor should have been first" in raping the "beautiful" missionary.

After initially displaying defiance, the tough-talking mayor on Tuesday finally issued an apology for his remark, even as political analysts said this controversy could cost him votes.

"I apologize to the Filipino people for my recent remarks," said Duterte, who is the first presidential candidate from the southern island of Mindanao.

"There was no intention of disrespecting our women and those who have been victims of this horrible crime. Sometimes my mouth can get the better of me. My life is an open book. I am a man of many flaws and contradictions," he added.

ABS-CBN and Pulse Asia released on Tuesday a survey taken before the remark, which showed Duterte had widened his lead over his nearest rival to seven points.

READ: Duterte extends lead in latest ABS-CBN survey

Duterte was the top choice of 32 percent of the 4,000 respondents in the April 5-10 survey, up two points from the last poll in late March.

"We still don't know what will be the effect on his numbers in the next survey after his rape comments," Pulse Asia president Ronald Holmes told Reuters.

"Definitely, it will have an impact, so it is still premature to predict a winner."