Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been condemned for kissing an overseas worker during a live event.
According to the BBC, President Duterte has been criticised for kissing an overseas Filipina worker on the lips during a live event in South Korea.
Duterte was speaking in front of a crowd of mostly Filipino workers when he called two women on stage to receive a free copy of a book.
Both women were star struck from meeting the president. Duterte then hugged one woman and kissed her on the cheek before asking the other woman to kiss him on the lips. He then leaned in and kissed her on the lips.
Although the woman, Bea Kim, said there was s “no malice” in the kiss, rights groups and others thought differently.
Philippines rights group Gabriela described it as “disgusting theatrics of a misogynist presidentw ho feels entitled to demean, humiliate or disrespect women according to his whim.”
Opposition senator Risa Hontiveros said that Duterte “acted like a feudal king who thinks that being the president is an entitlement to do anything that he pleases,” adding that “uneven power relations” meant that the kiss wasn’t an act between consenting adults.
However, some defended the president. CNN reports that one Facebook user wrote, “he got a hug and a kiss on the lips. Wahahaha (Duterte) is so mischievous.”
Kim herself also added that the kiss did not “mean anything except to entertain and make other Filipinos in the gathering happy.”
Duterte’s spokesman said the kiss was an “act of endearment” toward Filipino workers.
