Insisting that he is no fool, President Duterte said he was not kidding when he suggested the use of kerosene as disinfectant amid the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the President, people can use a few drops of kerosene for disinfection as an alternative to alcohol products.
Kerosene is a flammable liquid distilled from petroleum that can be used for cooking, lighting or heating.
"Sabi nila, 'Itong si Duterte loko-loko.” G***. Kung loko-loko ako, ikaw na sana ang na-Presidente, hindi ako. Totoo ‘yang sinabi ko, alcohol. ‘Pag walang alcohol available, hindi ka naman puwede lalo na kung mahirap. Magpunta ka lang diyan sa gasoline station, pagkatapos magpatulo ng --- that’s disinfectant. Alcohol oh, gaas (They say Duterte is a fool. If I am a fool, you should have been the president. Not me. What I said was true about alcohol. If there is no alcohol available, if it's hard to look for it, just go the gasoline station and get some. That's disinfectant -- kerosene, alcohol),” Duterte said during his televised address Friday.
"'Yung ginagamit ‘yung gaas pang-ano, magpatulo ka lang kung --- just to disinfect. Ang akala naman nitong mga buang na nagsabi sa akin, “Itong si Duterte…” Para sa inyo ang hindi nakakaintindi, sa totoo lang. Hindi ako nagbibiro. Totohanan iyon. Ang akala ninyo nagbibiro lang ako (You can get a few drops of kerosene just to disinfect. Those fools who think otherwise are the ones who cannot understand. I am not joking. That's true. You might be thinking I was only joking)," he said.
In his public address last week, the President announced plans to distribute free face masks to the public as a precaution against the coronavirus disease. Duterte then suggested that people may dip their face mask or hands in gasoline or diesel to disinfect.
"P*** i COVID na yan. Hindi uubra 'yan diyan. Totoo. Kung wala kayo, if you want to disinfect, maghanap ng gasolina. Babad mo lang kamay mo. Layo mo lang , huwag sa look ng bahay ninyo (That son of a b*** COVID. That will not work. If you don't have any, if you want to disinfect, find some gasoline. Submerge your hands but keep it away from others. Not inside your homes)," he said.
The President's spokesman Harry Roque later clarified that Duterte was only joking when he claimed gasoline can be used for disinfection.