Duterte: Removed comfort woman statue can be put somewhere else

President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday defended the removal of a comfort woman statue along Roxas Boulevard in Manila, saying it could be transferred to another place to not insult Japan.

The Department of Public Works and Highways removed the seven-foot bronze statue of a comfort woman on Friday night to allow its drainage improvement project.

In a press conference in Davao City upon his arrival from Singapore, Duterte said that he did not know that the statue even existed and who initiated the removal.

"But it has created somehow a bad --- you know. You can place it somewhere else. If you want to place in a private property, fine. But do not use... Because that issue for... insofar as I'm concerned, tapos na 'yan," he said.

"The Japanese has paid early for that. 'Yung reparation started many years ago. So huwag na lang natin insultuhin. But if there is what you would call a memorial for an injustice committed at one time, it's all right," he added.

Duterte pointed out that it is not the policy of the Philippine government to "antagonize" other nations, but if the statue is erected in a private property, then the State would honor it.

"The Japanese government and people would understand it that there is democracy here, freedom of expression is very important," he said.

"But do not use government because it would reflect now on --- kung ginusto ba natin. It's practically the same in South Korea, ‘yung comfort women. Pero so much water has passed," he added.

Inter-agency probe

Last January, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano announced that an inter-agency group was formed to look into the controversial comfort women monument.

Cayetano had declined to reveal the Department of Foreign Affair's recommendation on the bronze statue, but said its construction “will really affect certain feelings and relationships.”

He said the inter-agency group wanted to determine "who put it up, why did they put it up, where do they put it up, who got the permits."

The statue became controversial after some Japanese officials complained about it in 2017.

The statue was erected near the Japanese embassy.

Apology, reparation

Duterte, meanwhile, noted that while it is difficult to reminisce how Japanese soldiers in the Second World War treated the so-called "comfort women," Japan has already apologized for it.

"Masakit kasi ulit- ulitin mo na tuloy. And you start to imagine how they were treated badly," he said.

"But Japan has apologized to the Filipinos. And they have certainly made much more than... in terms of reparation," he added.

Gabriela Women's Party Representative Arlene Brosas, on the other hand, condemned Duterte's defense on the issue, saying that the Philippines should not be the one to adjust.

"Why should we be the one to adjust just so we don't piss off Japan? The comfort woman statue was erected along Roxas Boulevard precisely to remind future generations and the public of what Filipina sex slaves went through under Japanese occupation. It was not meant for private viewing," she said in a statement.

Brosas pointed out that reparations are just one aspect to meet the demands of Filipino comfort women abused during World War II.

"We need to address the historical injustice against them and counter Japan's revisionist take on WWII history," she said.

"We need to recognize their long struggle for justice and accountability. The statue serves that purpose. Unfortunately, it was removed based on very superficial grounds," she added. —Erwin Colcol/ALG, GMA News