MANILA - PDP Laban standard bearer and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday said sorry to Filipinos who felt offended by his remarks about a gang rape victim but said his statement was not a joke but was made out of sheer anger.

Duterte has come under fire for his remarks over the gang rape and killing of 36-year-old Jaqueline Hamill, a missionary from Sydney, Australia. Hamill was one of several "prayer warriors" taken hostage by Federico Pugoy and other inmates inside Davao Metrodiscom in 1989.

In a campaign rally on April 12 in Quezon City, the tough-talking mayor described the missionary as very beautiful and likened her to an American actress.

"T***a, sayang ito. Ang napasok sa isip ko, ni-rape nila. Pinagpilahan nila. Nagalit ako kasi ni-rape. Oo, isa rin yun. Napakaganda. Dapat ang mayor muna ang mauna," he said, drawing laughter from his supporters.

WATCH: Duterte jokes about raped Australian woman

In an interview, Duterte admitted making those remarks in 1989 but said he was not joking but merely narrating what happened then. A total of five hostages and 16 prisoners were killed in the hostage crisis including Pugoy and Hamill.

"In my utter anger, gutter language yan eh. Salitang kanto. Nung binuksan ko, o ito, galit ako nagsasalita. Ang ganda-ganda pa, mukhang artista galing Amerika. P***a, naunahan pa ako. Patayin mo lahat! Sa galit yun. I was not joking," he said.

He added: "I am sorry to the Filipino people. It's my style. It's my mouth, I said it in the heat of anger but listen to the story behind. Wag kayong basta pa-ambak ambak yan."

"Huwag kayong makinig sa bunganga ko kasi ang bunganga ko talaga bastos. Kasi lumaki ako sa neighborhood na puro bastos. Sinasabi ko sa inyo, mahirap lang kami."

In the interview, the mayor said he received orders from then President Corazon Aquino to resolve the hostage situation committed by Pugoy. At that time, Duterte was in his first term as mayor and regional chairman of the peace and order council.

During the first hostage situation, Duterte offered himself as a hostage in exchange for Pugoy's hostages. He said the first hostage situation was resolved after he told soldiers to kill all of them, including himself, "if they saw me bloodied."

While incarcerated, Pugoy again took hostages of several prayer warriors inside Davao Metrodiscom including the Australian missionary.

'NOT A JOKE'

The mayor said his narration of the rape incident during a recent campaign rally in Amoranto Stadium in Quezon City was not meant as a joke.

"It was not a joke, I said it in a narrative. I was not smiling. I was just talking plain sense narrative," he said.

He also challenged the media to review their footage of the incident so that they could see his actual reaction.

"Kinuha ko yung Uzi ko tapos tuloy-tuloy na ako...I drew the first volley. Isang magasin inubos ko. Yun bakbakan na. Patay lahat," he said.

He said that after the hostage crisis, he was the subject of an inquiry wherein he admitted giving the shoot-to-kill order because the suspects were armed and had killed some of the hostages.

'GUTTER LANGUAGE'

In the interview with local media, Duterte said he wanted to explain the context behind his remark after a video of his campaign speech went viral over the weekend.

He also said sorry to people who found his statement offensive but explained "this is how men talk."

"It's gutter language. Ganun ang mga lalaki pag magsalita (That's how men talk.) O p***a, naunahan mo pa ako. Leche ka. Yan totoo yan. Sorry kung hindi nagustuhan ng iba. Pero yan ang totoo. That is an incident but there is a story behind it," he said.

"Yung pagsabi ko ng 'O, naunahan pa ang mayor', that is a bad incident. It was a bad remark. It wasn't a bad joke, it was not a joke. Talagang galit ako nung sinabi ko yun. Ganun ang mga lalaki pag ano. P***o, naunahan mo pa ako. That's a cliche. Ganun talaga. Ang mga gago ganun magsalita. Galit ako at kung mangyari pa ulit yung ganun, baka ganun ulit ang masabi ko."

Duterte said he is not afraid that the statement could cost him the presidency. This is after Gabriela women's party-list demanded that the mayor apologize for his statement.

“I am even willing to lose the presidency. Do not make me apologize for something which I did na talagang it was called for at the moment. I can lose Gabriela and all, wala akong pakialam. Sabi ko sa inyo, I will not die if I do not become president but certainly as a matter of honor, I will stick to my guns. I said it in the heat of anger," he said.

He added: "Gusto niyo akong maging presidente? You have the records, TV and all. Kung ayaw niyo ng ganung taong magsalita, e pasensiya. Dun kayo sa English-spokening...Dun kayo sa mga magnanakaw na wala naman ginawa."

He also singled out Gabriela for demanding that he apologize.

"I said I am sorry to the Filipino people. But to apologize to Gabriela? Do not control my mouth. This is my mouth. God given ito. As a matter of apology, I will not. I will never. Huwag kayong mag-alala. Gabriela, pag natalo ako because of this, e di maligaya na kayo. Yun na ang bayad ninyo. Just pray that I will lose."

"That the incident turned out to be bloody and gory, sorry. Pero kung sabihin niyo yung bunganga ko, as a matter of principle, I will not for the life of me...I can lose the election today. Hindi na lang ako makaatras dahil marami na ang nagbigay sa akin ngayon ng mataas na ang rating ko...Tell Gabriela, as a matter of principle, I will not. P***a nandoon ako sa dugo, you want me to be courteous, to remember to be courteous all the time? Salitang gutter yan kasi galing ako diyan."

He also dismissed criticisms from his rivals in the presidential race. Vice-President Jejomar Binay, former DILG chief Mar Roxas and Sen. Grace Poe

"Kung wala kayong pinatay at takot naman kayong magpa-hostage kasi baka magkamali ka ng sagot, huwag ka na lang magpresidente," he said.

He also challenged Binay to get himself taken hostage by a barber.

"Puro ka lang nakaw diyan...Isusugal ko buhay ko dito, kayo diyan nakaw ng nakaw wala naman kayong ginawa." With reports from Bonna Pamplona and
Clarabelle Cornelio, ABS-CBN News