Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte appeared to liken himself to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler on Friday, saying he drew inspiration from the Nazi war criminal.
"Hitler massacred three million Jews… there's three million drug addicts. I'd be happy to slaughter them," Duterte said.
If Duterte says he can be a Hitler, then let's prepare for a Nuremberg trial. [Before he retreats to a bunker and…you know how that ends.]
— Ruben Carranza (@RCarranza_) September 30, 2016
The comment — wrongly citing the number of Jews killed by the Nazis, which was six million — is just the tip off the iceberg when it comes to Duterte's penchant for causing offense.
Duterte has only been on the world stage for four months since taking office in June this year, but his off the colour remarks have already made the 71-year-old notorious globally.
So who else has the man nicknamed the "the Punisher" and "the Trump of the East" unleashed his foul mouth on?
Gang Rape Victim
In April, then presidential hopeful Duterte, caused mass outrage when he mocked the horrific gang rape and murder of Australian missionary Jacqueline Hamill in 1989. Hamill was working as a minister in a prison in Davao, when she was taken hostage, raped and killed during a riot by inmates.
"There was this Australian lay minister… when they took them out… I saw her face and I thought, 'Son of a bitch. what a pity'… They raped her, they all lined up. I was mad she was raped, yes that was one thing. But she was so beautiful, I think the mayor should have been first. What a waste."
Duterte was the Mayor of Davao for 22 years, during the hostage crisis, and when he made the comments.
In he midst of widespread condemnation, including from Hamill's loved ones, Duterte defended his remarks:
"Do not make me apologize for something which I did… As a matter of honor, I will stick to my guns… It was not a joke. I said it in a narrative, I was not smiling, I was just talking plain sense."
Despite Duterte's controversial comments coming just weeks before the presidential vote, Duterte won an overwhelming majority in the May election, with more than 16 million votes.
I really cannot imagine #Duterte having so many supporters and followers. You cannot be normal to applaud an abnormal person.
— c_bibi (@c_bibi) September 30, 2016
President Barack Obama
In September, US President Barack Obama canceled what would have been his first meeting with Rodrigo Duterte, hours after Duterte blasted Obama as "the son of a whore."
Duterte's outburst came as he bristled at warnings he would face questioning by the US president at their scheduled meeting over his war against drugs in the Philippines. In September, human rights groups estimate that more than 2,400 have been killed since Duterte took was sworn in on June 30.
The diplomatic faux pas was widely mocked in US media.
US Ambassador
One month earlier, Mr. Duterte used a homophobic slur to denounce the US Ambassador, Philip Goldberg.
"As you know, I'm fighting with (US Secretary of State John Kerry's) ambassador. His gay ambassador, the son of a whore. He pissed me off," Duterte said.
Goldberg had publicly criticized Duterte for some of his more offensive comments during the presidential campaign trail.
The Pope
In November 2015, Duterte cursed Pope Francis for the traffic his Papal visit to the capital Manila, in January 2015, had caused
"It took us five hours to get from the hotel to the airport. I asked who was coming. They said it was the Pope. I wanted [to say] Pope, son of a whore, go home. Don't visit any more."
Duterte, who was raised as a Catholic, did apologize however.
Apparently the Pope, US, EU and Australian rape victim arr not enough to satisfy Duterte he decided to hit on the Jews now. Wow
— Kae Briones (@KaeOfficial) September 30, 2016
Journalists
In June, just weeks after being elected, Duterte spoke at a press conference about the Philippines's record as having a high murder rate for journalists.
"Just because you're a journalist you are not exempted from assassination, if you're a son of a bitch."
At least 75 journalists have been murdered in the country since 1992.
Duterte's response:
"Most of those killed, to be frank, have done something. You won't be killed if you don't do anything wrong."
Just days earlier, Duterte had said he would pardon himself for mass murder. How?
"Pardon given to Rodrigo Duterte for the crime of multiple murder, signed Rodrigo Duterte," said Mr. Duterte.
Criminals
In June, Mr. Duterte pushed his support for the revival of the death penalty, which he said, would serve as "retribution" for those who committed crimes.
"Do not destroy our children, because I will kill you, simply. Do not destroy my country, or I will kill you," Duterte told international journalists.
As part of his presidential election campaign, Duterte had promised to "kill 100,000 criminals" in his first six months in office, and dump so many bodies in Manila Bay that the "fish will grow fat.
He has also boasted that as Mayor of Davao, he officially sanctioned extra-judicial death squads to kill approximately "1,700" people.
"A leader must be a terror to the few who are evil in order to protect the lives and well-being of the many who are good."
"If I become president, I advise you people to put up several funeral parlor businesses. They will be packed. I'll supply the dead bodies."
