MANILA, Philippines – There was nothing obscene or lewd about President Rodrigo Duterte’s tale that he once molested their maid as he tried to insert his finger in her panty, the spokesperson of the nation’s leader said Thursday.

Panelo reiterated that Duterte only “concocted” the story, which had a women’s group outraged.

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“That was a concocted story to dramatize hypocrisy of the person I was referring to,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing, quoting “exact words of the President.”

The Palace official then dismissed criticisms Mr. Duterte’s tale would promote violence against women.

“I do not think so because precisely it was dramatized in such a way that audience will laugh. But even that, the message is not lost on the listeners. They know that the President has a message even if he said it in a way that makes them laugh,” he said.

Panelo said it was “a made up story which is his way of criticizing the hypocrisy of some members of the clergy, specifically the priests, who sexually abused him when he was still a student.”

The President’s mouthpiece even asserted Mr. Duterte’s narrative was not obscene.

“His story is not obscene. If it’s obscene, the audience would have gotten angry against him,” Panelo pointed out. /kga

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