Duterte says Pope Francis is compassionate, he will understand if he cursed at him

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But will the voting public understand?

In an ambush interview after he said he wanted to swear at the Pope in his expletive-filled speech on Monday afternoon, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said it was all good.

“Compassionate si Pope. Maiintindihan niya ako. Kayo man maihi sa kotse, matutuwa kayo,” Duterte tells GMA News Online.

His running mate Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano defended Duterte, saying the anger wasn’t directed to the Pope. 

“He was talking about how you should not close streets and inconvenience people for anyone in the world. But the way kasi he speaks about and shows frustration kasi,” Cayetano said.

The Pope may understand. We’re not so sure about the voting public.