DAVAO CITY, Philippines — He might have promised God in a dream that he will stop cursing, but President Rodrigo Duterte said there is always a time to curse.
After he finished reading his arrival statement about his three-day visit to Japan at the Davao International Airport late Thursday night, Duterte shared that God talked to him.
“While I was coming over here, everybody was asleep, snoring. But a voice said if you don’t stop epithets I will bring this plane down. I said who is this, of course, it’s God. Okay, so I promised God to not to express slang, cuss words,” he said.
Duterte added “a promise to God is a promise to the Filipino people” to which the audience clapped.
Duterte was known for letting out curses and slurs. His latest string of strong statements involved his tirades against the United States and the European Union who called him out for the extrajudicial killings related to the government’s anti-drug campaign.
However, when asked if he would no longer cuss against the US, EU, or even Senator Leila de Lima Duterte said: “There is always a time, a time to be foul-mouthed.”
He said his actions “are calibrated”.
“I don’t like anybody reading my mind. It’s all calibrated, it’s always timing. Watch out for one thing, that’s what I’ve learned, miscalculation,” he said.
Catholic leaders here even lectured Duterte on Christian values during a meeting in December last year. He vowed then that he would lessen using cuss words and “guard” his talks.
As a self regulation, Duterte even promised to pay P1,000 to Caritas Davao every time he would swear. But Duterte still uses curses in his speeches after the said meeting.
During the campaign period, Duterte has reiterated in several speeches that the public should not judge him by his curses.
“Listen to my cursing. Listen to it carefully. I invite you to just really look at me and relate those words to my character. Because behind those words is the real tragedy and agony of the Filipino people,” he said.
Duterte says God talked to him: Stop cussing or I’ll bring plane down
