Philippines' Duterte bugged by massive cockroach during campaign rally before joking: 'It's a liberal!'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was bugged by a huge “liberal” cockroach during a campaign rally on Wednesday.
The insect ran up Duterte’s left shoulder as he was endorsing Senate candidates, according to video footage.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A female aide quickly intervened to save the president from the awkward moment, but her efforts to remove the cockroach failed, prompting the insect to run down the front of the president’s shirt.
A female aide quickly intervened to save President Duterte from the awkward moment, but her efforts to remove the cockroach failed, prompting the insect to run down the front of the president’s shirt. (RTVM)
Duterte then removed the bug himself and stomped on the floor, joking that the cockroach was sent by the opposition Liberal party, according to Reuters.
“It's Liberal! That's for sure,” Duterte joked as the crowd erupted in laughter.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It's Liberal! That's for sure."
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Duterte has been campaigning amid the upcoming elections next week where people will vote to elect their representatives to in various parts of government, including local council and the upper house Senate.
Last month, Duterte threatened to “declare war” against Canada if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fails to remove tons of trash previously shipped to Manila and also threatened to throw it on Canada's beaches.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Duterte then removed the bug himself and stomped on the floor, joking that the cockroach was sent by the opposition Liberal party, according to Reuters. (RTVM)
A spokesperson for the president said the comments from Duterte were "figures of speech" and an "expression of outrage."
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Filipino officials said earlier this month that Canada has agreed to pay to re-export the waste it shipped to the Philippines back home, but "bureaucratic red tape" is slowing down the process. The Philippines also set a deadline of May 15 and prepared the trash for shipment by that date.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Canada said they'd pay to return their trash, but "the Canadian government has slowed down the process," the Philippine Department of Finance said in a news release on Sunday.
Fox News’ Nicole Darrah contributed to this report.