Rodrigo ‘The Punisher’ Duterte is back; warns criminals to leave the city or face permanent end

“Criminals have no place in the city except in jails, detention cells or God forbid, in funeral parlors should they decide to fight it out with the authorities.” – Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

By JOHN RIZLE L. SALIGUMBA
Davao Today

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – He’s definitely back and still, in combative form.

Seven-time city mayor Rodrigo Duterte who earned the moniker “The Punisher” for allegedly being the brain of the number of unsolved summary killings against criminals, both petty and hardened, especially minors in this city, warned law breakers anew

“Criminals have no place in the city except in jails, detention cells or God forbid, in funeral parlors should they decide to fight it out with the authorities,” he said during his oath-taking Sunday at the Davao City Hall.

He said drug pushers, dealers and suppliers, as well as perpetrators of heinous crimes should stop doing their thing, and if they can’t, they must leave “horizontally or vertically” otherwise they will regret it.

“If you fight, the day ends permanently for you,” Duterte warned.

VIEW VIDEO HERE: Oath-taking and acceptance speech of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

He also advised children who are in conflict with the law (CICL) to not waste their lives and instead mend their ways as it will be for their own and their family’s good.

“The provisions of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 behind which you seek refuge to exempt yourself from accountability for committing an act, which, ordinarily is a crime if committed by an adult, is undergoing amendment,” he said.

Recently, the Congress proposed an amendment to detain minors from 12 to 15 years of age — who commit crimes such as rape, murder, among others — into a government facility, a move that was opposed by children’s rights groups.

Duterte said CICL who are currently detained would not be released unless they are “cleared” by the City Social Services and Development Office.

The mayor’s acceptance speech focused on peace and order, criminality, disaster and business.  He called on everyone to join “in creating a city where opportunities abound” and “where every house is secured, every person safe and every place a home for everyone.”

“This is our home, yours, mine, ours,” he said.

Executive Judge Jill Rose Lo officiated Duterte’s oath-taking. Congressional Representatives Mylene Garcia of the second district, Isidro Ungab of the third district and 1Bap Partylist representative Silvestro Bello also took their oath Sunday.  (John Rizle L. Saligumba/davaotoday.com)