A Philippine presidential candidate known for making profanity-laced campaign speeches has said he will burn Singapore’s flag after the island state’s diplomatic mission in Manila said it will seek legal advice over a “misleading” Facebook post.
On The Maharlikan blog site and in a post on the Facebook page of GMA News, Mr Rodrigo Duterte has been quoted as saying: “Look for a flag of Singapore. I’ll burn it.”
He was speaking during a rally in Daet town, Camarines Norte province, 330km south of the capital Manila.
The Maharlikan said Mr Duterte, the front runner in the five-way race for the presidency, used an expletive and raised his middle finger.
Mr Duterte purportedly made the remarks after he was told the Singapore embassy in the Philippine capital was seeking legal advice over a “misleading” Facebook post that claimed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was endorsing Davao mayor Duterte for president.
The post, which surfaced last week and has been circulating via social media, had a photo of Mr Lee with the caption: “Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is the only presidential candidate that could make (the) Philippines like Singapore.”
The Singapore embassy, in a post on its website on April 22, said: “This is untrue. Singapore does not endorse any candidate. The choice is for Filipinos alone to make. We wish the Philippines well in the conduct of its elections.”
A second embassy post said it is “seeking legal advice”, and added: “We also request the immediate removal of the post, which is a clear misrepresentation.”
After GMA News reportedly sought further comments, the embassy said in a text message: “We decided to put up a second clarification… because we view this incident seriously, and we want it to be taken down. It is still being shared around, so we will not let go of the matter.”
Related: S’pore denies claims Davao mayor has PM Lee ‘s vote
‘Cursed’ Pope Francis
The 71-year-old Mr Duterte is no stranger to controversial statements.
Last November, he “cursed” Pope Francis for causing traffic jams in Manila during his visit to the Philippines in January that year.
Offended US and Australia
Last month, a YouTube video showed Mr Duterte joking that he should have had the first turn at an Australian missionary who was brutally raped and killed during a prison riot 27 years ago.
After the ambassadors from Australia and the United States criticised him for the rape joke, the front runner in the presidential race said he was prepared to sever ties with the two countries if he won the May 9 election .
Capitalising on an image he has been building since he was a street-smart teenage thug, Mr Duterte has been leading in surveys on who Filipinos want to be their next president.
rdancel@sph.com.sg
Read also:
How did Duterte get 41 properties?
I have 2 wives, 2 girlfriends: Duterte
Foul-mouthed Davao mayor wants to be president
