Duterte outraged at Cebu teen’s rape-slay

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday expressed outrage over the killing of a Cebu teenager, who was reportedly raped and skinned to the skull.

• Dalagita sa Cebu, pinatay at binalatan ang mukha

“Kahapon may pinatay ang mga p****g i***g iyan binalatan ang mukha,” Duterte said in a speech in Isabela during the campaign sortie of the ruling PDP-Laban.

(Yesterday, these sons of b*****s killed someone and skinned her face.)

The rape-slay of 16-year-old Christine Lee Silawan in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu has prompted calls for the revival of death penalty.

• Cebu rape-slay case sparks calls for death penalty revival

Silawan was identified as a student of the Maribago High School. She was first reported missing by her mother after she failed to return home from serving as collector in church on Sunday.

Police are looking at the involvement of three suspects in the slay.

In his speech, Duterte also recalled the controversial rape case involving former actress Maggie dela Riva, whose life story became the subject of a 1994 movie by director Carlo J. Caparas.

“Sa aming panahon may nire-rape, that’s a crime that goes with humanity, biology ‘yan eh. Pero yung magaganda, I would like to say sorry to Maggie dela Riva, ‘yung rape noon at binabantayan pa namin. Maggie dela Riva, she was really beautiful. How could she have endured such brutality,” Duterte said.

(During our time some were being raped. That’s a crime that goes with humanity. That’s biology. But the beautiful women — I’d like to say sorry to Maggie dela Riva, her rape case which drew a lot of attention. Maggie dela Riva, she was really beautiful. How could she have endured such brutality.)

Duterte has drawn flak for joking about rape, including jest in August 2018 about Davao City having the highest number of rape cases in the country because it has many beautiful women.

• Duterte defends joke on Davao rape cases

During the 2016 presidential campaign, he was heavily criticized for saying that those who raped a foreign missionary in 1989 should have given him first dibs.

Duterte also joked in May 2017 that soldiers could rape up to three women.

Officials have many times defended Duterte's jokes, saying his statements should not be take literally.

• Duterte defends ‘freedom’ to joke about women