Philippine President Asks Human Rights Head If He's 'Gay or Pedophile'

The Philippines has their own version of Donald Trump in Rodrigo Duterte, a speak-first-think-later president authoritarian. As Duterte's brutal drug war wages -- with reports of 7,000 people killed, including low-level users -- some are finally trying to stop the bloodletting, and Duterte is fighting back in the most juvenile way possible (sound familiar?).

"Why is this guy so ... suffocated with the issue of young people, especially boys? Are you a paedophile?" Duterte asked of the head of the nation's Commission for Human Rights, Chito Gascon, who has called out the government's slaying of teenagers and youth."Why are you smitten with teenagers? Are you? I'm having my doubts. Are you gay or a paedophile?"

The government proposed slashing the budget of the Commission for Human Rights by less than half; Duterte's allies in the nation's congress went further, calling for its entire budget to be eliminated. Duterte seems to approve of ending the Commission for Human Rights and suggested using its funding to buy police body cameras to placate those concerned with police violence.

This isn't the first time that Duterte has used homophobia to criticize a political opponent; he called the American ambassador to the Philippines "gay" and a "son of a bitch" last year.

Even though Duterte brags about killing people himself, he remains popular (Trump endorsed Duterte's horrifying tactics, by the way). The Philippine president also opposes marriage equality, after endorsing it during his campaign.