In the article, “What does he have vs women?” (5/18/18), Gabriela representatives Arlene Brosas and Emmi de Jesus asked: “What does President Duterte fear of women? Why is he so threatened by women?”
Loretta “Etta” Rosales, chair emeritus of the Akbayan party-list, said that President Duterte has “paranoia for strong upright women leaders.”
The answer is at the end of the article. Mr. Duterte’s mother had a lot to do with shaping his character because she used to punish him for the slightest misdeed.
“If Soledad [were] alive today, I could sue her for child abuse. My mother was worst when angry. [She’d hit me] with anything she laid her hands on,” Mr. Duterte was quoted as saying.
Do you get the picture? These strong women are the Soledads of President Duterte! Fear is the response of the young Duterte and that is now deeply imprinted in his subconscious mind. Like a computer, it is a program that has to be obeyed. He cannot help being afraid.
METZ AGUDO, metzagudo@gmail.com