Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 10) — President Rodrigo Duterte has publicly boasted about his penchant for women, but during a recent campaign sortie, he had his eyes on one woman – the mayor of a Bohol town whom he described as "too beautiful."

The President openly expressed admiration for the good looks of Garcia-Hernandez town Mayor Tita Gallentes at the campaign rally of ruling PDP-Laban party in Bohol Wednesday night.

"No, Ma‘am, I just talk like that but I‘m just joking. And you are truly beautiful. If it were me, why would I ever break up with you? I will really grab and hold on to your panty if you try to leave, even until the garter snaps. You‘re just too beautiful," Duterte said in Bisaya according to the transcript from Malacañang.

The Palace on Friday clarified it was just another joke from the President.

"Pag si Presidente, nagpapatawa lang 'yon. people are always expecting na magpapatawa siya. Yun ngang girl tawa nang tawa kasi kilala niya si Presidente na ganun," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a media briefing. "Pa-kwela lang 'yun. Iyun ang kumakagat sa mga tao."

In Wednesday's speech, Duterte said he heard that Gallentes is separated from her husband, and quipped, "My wife and I are separated too."

The President's marriage with Elizabeth Zimmerman was annulled in 2000. He now lives with his common-law partner, Honeylet Avanceña.

Duterte asked former Special Assistant to the President and senatorial candidate Christopher "Bong" Go to "take care of my wife while I'm away" saying he is in Bohol "to play the game of love."

Duterte told Gallentes, "Can you run away with me? You have children, don‘t you mayor? How many children do you have? I have three – four. I have four but they‘re all grown up already so I don‘t have a problem there anymore."

The 74-year-old President's three children with Zimmerman are now adults: Davao City Mayor Sara "Inday" Duterte, former Vice Mayor Paolo "Pulong" Duterte, and Sebastian "Baste" Duterte. He has a 15-year-old daughter from his union with Avanceña.

"Ma‘am (Gallentes) is frowning already. She‘s probably thinking, P***** i** ka Duterte, if you don‘t fulfill your promise, you better watch out or else I‘ll have you assassinated by my police," Duterte said.

The President also said it is not true that he is a "killer," a reputation he has gained for publicly pronouncing that he has killed people and for his bloody war on drugs that has left over 5,000 dead according to government data.

"But I‘ve killed maybe three women for being unfaithful. So if we agree with each other tonight… It‘s always unexpected," Duterte said.

The President, who is known for changing topics during his public speeches, also talked about bikini-clad Australian women on the beach in Davao City, and how the police are "lucky," saying they are "just busy looking at beautiful women."

"Tell me who? But never mind that because mayor is here," he said.

Groups have criticized the President for his remarks on women which were often described as offensive and misogynistic. In 2018, the President also drew flak for kissing a Filipina on the lips during an official visit to South Korea. The President has said these antics towards women were just his "style," while on several occasions, the Palace has said the President's jokes should not be taken seriously and literally.