Newsweek reports:

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has claimed he was once gay but “cured” himself of homosexuality in controversial remarks made during a trip to Japan.

According to Rappler, a Filipino news publication, Duterte mocked his political opponent Senator Antonio Trillanes IV by saying his movements show he is homosexual. Duterte also reportedly “confessed” that he was gay before he met his ex-wife Elizabeth Zimmerman.

“Good thing Trillanes and I are similar. But I cured myself,” Duterte said during a speech on Thursday, Rappler reported. “When I began a relationship with Zimmerman, I said, this is it. I became a man again.” He subsequently added: “Duterte is gay. So I am gay, I don’t care if I’m gay or not.”

RELATED: In 2017 Duterte called the head of the Commission on Human Rights a “gay pedophile” for objecting to police killings of teenagers. That same year  Duterte ordered police to shoot any “idiots” who resist arrest. Also in 2017, Duterte imposed martial law and “joked” that soldiers are now allowed to rape up to three women. Duterte has bragged of “personally” murdering suspected criminals and has compared himself favorably to Adolf Hitler, saying that he would happily execute millions of drug users. Trump has praised Duterte’s “unbelievable job” in giving police and vigilante squads free rein to murder suspected drug users and dealers and invited him to visit the White House. An estimated 6000 Filipinos have been slain in the streets on Duterte’s orders.