âWhy should I apologize?â
President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday maintained that he wonât apologize to US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg after calling the diplomat âgay.â
âHindi nga siya nag apologize sa kin nung nagkita kami sa MalacaĂąang (He didnât apologize to me when we met in MalacaĂąang), why would I apologize? Siya mismo nag-una (He started it first),â Duterte said in a speech at Camp Teodulfo Bautista in Jolo, Sulu.
READ: Duterte: No apologies for remarks on Goldberg
Duterte was referring to the courtesy visit of Goldberg and members of the US congressional delegation in Malacaùang last July.
The 71-year-old President had earlier slammed Goldberg for meddling in Philippine politics.
Duterte was referring to the statement of Goldberg in response to his remarks about the rape of an Australian missionary Jacqueline Hamill in 1989.
At the height of the controversy, Goldberg had said that âstatements by anyone, anywhere that either degrade women or trivialize issues so serious as rape or murder are not ones that we condone.â
This remark did not sit well with Duterte, saying the US envoy should have just âshut up.â He said he doesnât care if the US cuts diplomatic ties with the Philippines.
The spat between Duterte and Goldberg has prompted the US government to summon Philippine Charge dâAffaires to Washington Patrick Chuasoto to explain the Presidentâs âinappropriate commentsâ against the US envoy to the Philippines.
âWeâve seen those inappropriate comments made about Ambassador Goldberg. Heâs a multi-time ambassador, one of our most senior diplomats,â said US State Department spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau. RAM
READ: US summons PH envoy over Duterteâs âbaklaâ tag on Goldberg