MANILA, Philippines – In a meeting in London with overseas Filipino workers, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said European Union (EU) officials critical of President Rodrigo Duterte just have too much sex.

In an apparent effort to mimic the gutter humor of his principal, Andanar used the Bisaya term “palaiyot,” which means someone who frequently has sex, to describe low-ranking EU officials who constantly criticize the Duterte administration.

“’Yung mga maingay na palaiyot, ’yung mga maiingay…. Alam mo, ang problema sa kanila hanggang ingay lang sila, wala namang napatunayan. Kung tatanungin mo ’yung kanilang prime minister, mga presidente, ’yung talagang namamahala sa mga bansa, pati sila sumusuporta kay Presidente,” said Andanar in a video of the event posted by Duterte News Stream Live on Tuesday, October 23. 

(The noisy ones who like to have sex, the noisy ones… You know the problem with them is they are just noisy, but they haven’t proven anything. If you ask their prime minister, their president, those really running the country, even they support our President.)

The video showed him and PCOO Assistant Secretary Kris Ablan attending a “meet and greet” with Filipinos based in the United Kingdom. A Palace source said Andanar was “invited” to the country by some groups.

“’Yung mga nasa ’baba na palaiyot, sila lang ang maingay kasi kulang pa sa iyot,” he added, to raucous laughter from his audience. (Those below who like to have sex, they are just noisy because they still want more sex.)

The President too frequently likes to disparage EU officials with such language. In the past, he has referred to EU parliament members as “EU de puta,” a play on the phrase “hijo de puta” which means son of a bitch.

In front of the United Kingdom-based OFWs, some of whom called themselves “staunch supporters” of Duterte during the event, Andanar seemed more at ease and less guarded with his statements defending the President compared with his radio interviews with mainstream media.

Andanar appeared to get some of his bravado from his audience, who could be heard asking for Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s head or exclaiming they found negative media reports on Duterte to be untrue.

He declared that media and critics who cite a number of drug-related deaths different from the Philippine National Police figures are “turning a blind eye to the truth.”

He stated, in another video of the event posted by Facebook account Malcolm Conlan, that those critical of Duterte “have their own agenda.”

Andanar then claimed that human rights groups had been passionately advocating for the rights of terrorists in Marawi.

“Tapos meron pa silang, ’yung human rights daw ng mga Maute, ’yung human rights daw ni Isnilon Hapilon, ’yung human rights daw ni Omar Maute,” he said to voices of disapproval from his audience.

(Then they even bring up the human rights of the Maute Group, the human rights of Isnilon Hapilon, the human rights of Omar Maute.) 

Hapilon and Maute are among the top leaders of the terrorists who laid siege on Marawi for 5 months. 

Andanar did not state which human rights group called for protection of terrorists’ rights or where he got this information.

It will be recalled, however, that there had been propaganda spread by some Duterte online supporters of Senator Risa Hontiveros being sympathetic to the Maute Group. The senator, who has been critical of some policies of the administration, said the fake articles twisted her words.

During the gathering, Andanar even related Duterte’s issue against EU officials with Britain’s decision to leave the regional bloc. 

“Kaya nga kayo nag-Brexit, wala kayong tiwala doon eh,” he said. (That’s why you voted for Brexit, because you don’t trust them.) – Rappler.com