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Duterte’s spokesman told reporters Tuesday that the president recognized the need for the anti-harassment measures and that he “will be the first one to obey” the new law, known as the Safe Spaces Act. He added that Duterte sometimes told lewd jokes because he wanted to make people laugh.

The irony of Duterte’s government approving such legislation wasn’t lost on women’s advocates, who have been among the firebrand leader’s most prominent critics.

The president “represents the single most brazen violator of the law’s intent with his staple macho-fascist remarks,” the Gabriela Women’s Party, a leftist political group, said in a statement. Implementing the law under Duterte’s administration would “certainly be a challenge,” the group added.

“Duterte is the misogynist-in-chief,” said Inday Espina-Varona, journalist and founder of the #BabaeAko, or I am Woman, campaign.

“While this is a law that is long overdue, his signing it only rams home the truth: he believes himself to be above the law.”

Duterte signed the act in April but officials only released a copy of the law on Monday.

The measures were put forward by opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros, who said on her Facebook account that Filipinos should report sexual harassment.

Duterte 'will be the first one to obey'

“The law is only as good as how it is implemented. We need to test the law and make sure serves its purpose,” she wrote. Hontiveros wasn’t available to comment further Tuesday.