Representatives of women's groups have filed a complaint at the Commission on Human Rights against the front-runner in the Philippine presidential race for his remark about wanting to rape an Australian missionary who was assaulted and killed by prisoners during a hostage-taking in 1989.
The complaint filed Wednesday said Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte violated a law protecting women's rights and eliminating all forms of discrimination. Duterte has topped voter surveys for the May 9 presidential election.
At a campaign stop last week, Duterte said Australian Jacqueline Hamill, who was gang raped and killed during a 1989 prison siege, was so beautiful that he "should have been the first" to assault her. His supporters laughed, but the comment sparked a storm of criticism, including from the Australian ambassador.
