MANILA, Philippines (First published 10:57 a.m., Dec. 20)— A women's party-list blasted President Rodrigo Duterte Wednesday following presidential remarks which it said "normalized" and "encouraged" rape and other forms of violence toward women. Duterte, who in the past was criticized for casually talking and joking about rape, said that victims of sexual violence used to be beautiful women "worth going to jail" and "worth dying (for)." "Gabriela Women's Party strongly denounces President Duterte's latest remarks wherein he said that those who were raped during his time were 'worth going to jail and worth dying for,'" the party-list said. Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1It stressed that rape is rape regardless of the "patriarchal standards" attached to it to blur and even diminish the gravity of the crime. The Commission on Human Rights had criticized the president for such raunchy remarks, saying such jokes normalize the objectification of women.

Source: Philippine Star December 20, 2017 15:00 UTC