President Duterte has asked for public understanding over his tendency to use profanity, saying he could not help it.
In a televised address Wednesday, the President admitted he could not stop cursing in public especially whenever he gets angry.
"Sa totoo lang however formal I am, pagka ako nagsalita maski sa — maski sa harap ng presidente noon pati kay harap ni Gloria, kasi adviser ako sa law and order, lumalabas, hindi ko sinasadya, hindi ko mapigilan pero ‘yong bunganga ko hindi ko maano kaagad eh lalo na kung nagagalit ako, so kayo na ang magpasensiya (In fact, however formal I am, when I speak even when I'm in front of a president before, in front of Gloria, I was adviser then on law and order, I did not mean it, I can't help it but I can't stop my mouth especially when I get angry. So please bear with me)," Duterte said.
Duterte is convinced that having a president fond of swearing is not causing any harm. Besides, he defended that his profanity has been directed towards some "foolish" Filipinos.
"Tutal hindi naman makaano ang presidente nagmumura. Ano ba naman ‘yang mura? Tutal ang minumura ko ‘yong mga kalaban natin, iyong mga Pilipino na mga ulol. Mag-isip parang hindi Pilipino (Besides, what harm can a cursing president do? What's an expletive anyway? Besides, I'm cursing at our enemies, the foolish Filipinos who think like they are not Filipinos)," he added.
The President made the remarks following his fresh rants against two former officials, particularly former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, critical of his alleged weak stance on the West Philippine Sea dispute with China. Duterte, who has refused to go to war over the territorial dispute with China, threatened to execute "by hanging" Del Rosario for his alleged role in the loss of the country's territory to China years ago. On Carpio, he challenged the former magistrate to a debate on the issue.
Duterte, the tough-talking former mayor of Davao City, has often made use of curse words in public, sometimes out of exasperation or anger at a person, group, or situation. He has been criticized for his vulgar language but he previously defended his public cursing, saying it was not a crime.
Recently, the Palace announced that the President has directed Cabinet members to avoid using profanity especially in the field of diplomacy. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said only the President could curse.