By ANDREO CALONZO
GMA News
Duterte: Davidson Bangayan is David Tan. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte shows a photo of alleged rice smuggler David Tan during a Senate inquiry on rice smuggling on Monday, February 3, where he told senators that Tan and businessman Davidson Bangayan are one. Bangayan has repeatedly denied that he is David Tan. Benjie Castro
In front of alleged rice smuggler Davidson Bangayan, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said Monday that he “will gladly kill” the controversial trader if Bangayan is caught smuggling in the city.
“Sabi, may bumaba ditong smuggled goods. Sabi ko pagbababarilin ko kayo. If this guy goes, I will gladly kill him. I will not hesitate. I will do it for my country,” Duterte told the Senate agriculture committee during a hearing on rice smuggling.
Bangayan was not given the chance to respond to Duterte’s statements during the hearing. He and his lawyers also refused to be interviewed after the Senate proceeding.
Earlier during the hearing, the Davao mayor identified Bangayan as the same person using the alias “David Tan” to smuggle rice to his city’s port.
Duterte had also earlier threatened to kill “David Tan” if ever the latter sets foot in Davao City.
“I want smuggling of rice in my city stopped. But if you still do not stop your smuggling activities, I will kill you,” Duterte was quoted as saying in a press conference in the city last Jan. 7, 2014.
This has prompted the Commission on Human Rights to warn Duterte against making such public threats.
De Lima disturbed
Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, who was also present during the hearing, meanwhile said that she was disturbed by Duterte’s statements, especially since they were made at the Senate.
“I just find it disturbing na may mga ganung statement na the mayor yung he would not hestitate to kill napakadisturbing nun ha. You cannot just do that. Rule of law tayo na hindi ka na lang basta magpapatay ng tao,” De Lima said at the sidelines of the hearing.
She added that she was also concerned about the reaction of the audience to Duterte’s statements.
“Na-obserbahan ko rin na karamihan nung mga medyo tumawa lang or ngumiti lang. Shouldn’t we react to that in the proper manner? And what is the reaction to that in the proper manner? The proper reaction ay sabihin natin sa kanya na hindi tama yun,” the justice chief said.
De Lima earlier told Duterte to shut his “lousy mouth” after the mayor expressed dismay over the DOJ’s earlier decision to release Bangayan. —RSJ/BM, GMA News
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