IT'S BIOLOGY: Davao City Mayor and presidential aspirant Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday admitted that he had several girlfriends after he was legally separated from his first wife.

Speaking during the first presidential debate for the May 2016 polls, Duterte denied reports that he was sued for acts of lasciviousness.

"I do not know who invented it. Meron lang akong inakbayan noon. Ang nanay ko ang nagalit..." he said.

He also confirmed that he had several girlfriends before.

"E kung hiwalay ka sa asawa anong gawin mo sa sarili mo?" he said, drawing laughter from the audience.

"Anong gagawin ko itong karga-karga ko? Hindi ko naman ipagbili ito. Hindi mo naman isangla e. Gamitin mo dapat e baka mamatay ka."

Duterte later clarified that he only saw other women after his legal separation from his first wife, Elizabeth Zimmermann.

"I am separated from my wife. Yung isang asawa ko nasa America, yung nurse. So for a while in between those years, it's biology. It is biology."

Meanwhile, independent presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe confirmed that Duterte is very attractive to many women. She advised the tough-talking to be more discerning, saying that some of the women attracted to him could be married already or have boyfriends.

The first leg of the debates was held at the Capitol University from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday. It was organized by the Commission on Elections and will be hosted by GMA-7 and the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Leading media outfits will take turns hosting and airing the next presidential and vice presidential debates.