Philippine presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte refused to say sorry for his controversial comments about the rape and murder of an Australian missionary in a Philippine prison in 1989.
A Youtube video showed Duterte commenting on the rape incident saying the victim was so beautiful that he should have been the first to rape her.
"They did it ahead of the mayor. Kill them all," the viral footage showed the leading candidate in the May 9 presidential election saying.
"This one, she is so beautiful, she looks like an actress. W***e of a mother! They did it ahead of me, kill them all," the Inquirer translated the comment made by Duterte in native language.
The irreverent and outspoken mayor refused to apolgise saying he did not say the comment as a joke but to show his anger over the heinous incident.
"It was not a joke. I said it as a narrative. I was not smiling," he said.
Other presidential candidates lambasted Duterte for his comments on the rape victim.
Candidate and vice-president Jejomar Binay said the comments were revolting. "You are a crazy maniac who doesn't respect women and doesn't deserve to be president," Binay said in a statement.
President Benigno Aquino's spokesman said the Duterate's comments reflected his lack of fitness for the presidency and utter lack of respect for women".
Australian Jaqueline Hamill was on a ministerial mission in a jail in Davao Metrodiscom, where Duterte was the mayor.
A gang led by hostage taker Felipe Pugoy was in the jail for the kidnap of bus passengers. While inside prison they took three Australian missionaries hostage, including Hamil.
Hamil was gang-raped inside the prison and killed. On learning about her rape and death Duterate exclaimed in anger "They did it ahead of the mayor, kill them all.'
The presidential candidate insisted he did not make the comment jokingly. "I will stick to my guns. I said it in the heat of anger," Duterte said.
"It's my style, it's my mouth. I said it in the heat of anger." But he said he will not say sorry a mistake he did not commit.
'I am even willing to lose the presidency. Do not make me apologize for something which I did which was called for at that moment," he said.
