Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte claims he used to be gay but ‘cured himself’ with beautiful women

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has revealed that he used to be gay but ‘cured himself’ with beautiful women

The 74-year-old made this known as he spoke to a crowd in Japan on Thursday. 

He began his speech on by telling the crowd his critic Senator Antonio Trillanes IV was ‘similar’ to him because they were both gay. But, he said, he had actually been ‘cured’ by beautiful women and ‘became a man again’ when he married his first wife Elizabeth Zimmerman, according to CNN Philipines.

As he started his speech in front of the Filipino community in Japan, Duterte invited three attractive women standing at the side of the room to take empty seats at the front. 

He went on to say someone gay had told him that based on the senator’s movements, his critic Trillanes is homosexual, Rappler reported.

‘I said, “Are you sure?” They said, “You ask any gay person who sees Trillanes move, they’ll say he’s gay.” No wonder. Good thing Trillanes and I are similar. But I cured myself,’ he said.

He added: ‘When I began a relationship with Zimmerman, I said, this is it. I became a man again.’

President Duterte was married to Elizabeth Zimmerman, 71, from 1973 until 2000 and they had two children together. During his outing in Japan, it was his long-term girlfriend Honeylet Avanceña, 49, who accompanied him to the event where he invited four women on stage to receive a kiss on the cheek.

As he invited them up he explained he was only looking for unmarried women of an appropriate age.

He said: ‘First you shouldn’t be married okay. Second, you are not a minor. You ma’am. You want a smooch? Those four come here. Let them come up. Let them in.’

He also professed his love for Ms Avanceña, calling her his ‘one and only’.