Manila, Philippines – Senators defended Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday from a backlash of negative opinions regarding his threat to kill controversial rice trader Davidson Bangayan, alias ‘’David Tan,’’ should he smuggle rice into Davao City.
Duterte nonchalantly issued the threat during last Monday’s public hearing by the Senate Agriculture Committee chaired by Sen. Cynthia A. Villar where Bangayan repeated his stand that he is not David Tan and is not a rice smuggler before senators and Department of Justice (DoJ) Secretary Leila M. de Lima.
Senate President Franklin M. Drilon said Duterte made the threat out of desperation since government appeared unable to check the flow of rice smuggled from Asian countries into the country, also a rice-producing country.
Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile said Duterte only expressed his sentiments against situations prevailing in his community and that he has the right to speak out. He considers the Davao City chief executive as his friend.
Enrile, the Defense Minister during the Marcos regime, said Duterte uses colorful language although it is known that it is not to anyone’s good health when he gets riled up.
Duterte has so far not committed any crime following his threat to Bangayan but appropriate criminal charges would be in order if he makes good of his threat, he added.
Villar took lightly the Duterte threat as she is used to the city mayor’s colorful language whenever he is a foul mood.
Sen. Grace Poe expressed alarm at Duterte’s threat since children who could have viewed the Senate committee hearing would think that it is alright to threaten and kill a person. She is the chairperson of the Senate Public Order and Dangerous Drugs Committee and Senate Public Information and Mass Media.
Poe, however, did not ask the Senate committee to erase the ‘’objectionable’’ statement of Duterte since the Senate has been inured to such language.
Both De Lima and Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chairperson Etta Rosales condemned the Duterte threat and reminded him of the primacy of the rule of law and respect for human rights. (Mario B. Casayuran)
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