MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Sunday defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s confession that involves sexual abuse, calling it just a “laughable anecdote” the President intentionally made up to dramatize the sexual abuse he suffered from a priest when he was still a minor. READ: Opposition solons blast Duterte’s confession about touching maidIn a speech in Kidapawan City, Cotabato on Saturday, Duterte talked about the incident as he again criticized the Catholic church for supposed cases of sexual abuse committed by priests. In his narration, Duterte said he went into a maid’s room while she was asleep and touched her in her private part. After touching the maid, he said he went to the bathroom to do the “usual.”Duterte said he confessed this to a priest of the Catholic school he was attending, and the latter allegedly touched him too. Duterte shares story of ‘touching’ a maid in his youthPanelo, who is also Duterte’s chief legal counsel, also called out Gabriela partylist for criticizing Duterte’s recent remark.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 30, 2018 11:15 UTC