In what could be another joke, President Rodrigo Duterte said it could be better to kidnap and torture the auditors of the Commission on Audit (COA).

Duterte made the remarks during a gathering of local officials in Pasay City on Tuesday.

He again complained some government programs and projects could be delayed whenever COA finds some questionable disbursements.

COA, an independent constitutional body, examines, audits and settles all accounts and expenditures of funds and property owned or held in trust by the government. It issues disallowances if it sees irregular, unnecessary, excessive and extravagant expenditures of government funds and properties.

He said every time there is something questionable, COA issues notice of disallowance.

"So let's just kidnap those from COA. Let's torture them," Duterte said in jest.

Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte was just joking regarding his latest threat of kidnapping and torturing the state auditors.

"It's obvious that he was just joking regarding COA," he said Wednesday.

But he added that it was the President's character that the more he is being criticized, "the more he will stick to his mischief and irreverence."

"But at the same time, PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) is chiding COA not to derail on going government projects by certain stringent protocols that go against the letter and intent of the law," he added.

In previous speeches, Duterte said he raped his nanny when he was young and he also made a statement that the prelates should be killed.

Panelo later clarified that Duterte was just joking when he made such remarks. Celerina Monte/DMS