MANILA, Philippines – Presidential aspirant Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, December 4, promised he would pay P1,000 for every expletive he utters in public.
"Maybe to discourage me to utter cuss words, I will try my best," the Davao City mayor said of the "deal" he had forged with Davao Catholic Church leaders.
"But as long as I see people oppressed, hungry, and deprived, I cannot help my mouth, but I will try," he added.
Duterte, loved and loathed for his no-holds-barred attitude, met with bishops in Davao City on Friday, almost a week after he was criticized for cursing Pope Francis over the heavy traffic caused by his visit to Manila last January.
The mayor, who decided to run for president at the last-minute, was met with harsh criticism online and offline for that remark.
On Friday afternoon, Duterte met with Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles at the Archbishop's Palace. Also present were Mosignor Paul Cuison and Bishop George Rimando.
During the hour-long meeting, Valles admonished Duterte and was given a "little lecture on Christian values."
"I accept it, natanggap ko," Duterte told reporters after the meeting.
Duterte apologized for the incident, which Valles described as "unfortunate."
"I am happy that he came to us, it is good, he explained, and I understand his point, kinsaan gud sa ato amg dili makasala (who among us cannot commit a sin)?" added Valles.
It's going to be a tough bet for the mayor, who is known for peppering speeches, interviews, and other public speaking engagements with expletives. He had to shell out P2,000 after the meeting with bishops in Davao because, it turns out, he cussed at least twice.
The funds raised would go to Caritas Davao, Duterte said on his official Facebook page. – Rappler.com