CHR: Duterte’s ‘42 virgins’ joke strips women of dignity, human rights

The Commission on Human Rights strongly denounced President Rodrigo Duterte’s joke of making virgins as a “come-on” to promote tourism in the country, calling it an appalling remark. In fact, Duterte, after declaring himself “half-Muslim,” during his last day in India, suggested in jest that the ISIS does not have a monopoly of making promises about virgins: claimed that Islamic State extremists lure followers with the promise of “42 virgins” in heaven; “The come-on is that if you die a martyr, you go to heaven with 42 virgins waiting for you. If I could just make it a come-on also for those who’d like to go to my country(..)” he said. CHR called on the government to uphold laws that protect women from violence and discrimination such as the Women in Development and National Building Act, Magna Carta of Women and Anti-Sexual Harassment Law. It also urged the public to stand up for women’s rights and reject violence and discrimination of all forms.