Mindanews reported yesterday that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is being considered as the next defense secretary. (We cannot provide the link to the story because the Mindanews website, as of 9 a.m. today, has been hacked.) The story mentioned the praises Duterte has received lately from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Senate president Manuel Villar, mainly for the mayor’s efforts to keep his city safe from criminals.
Speaking of criminals, Duterte challenged the media to prove that the government was behind the killings of petty criminals in Davao City, according to this report. Here’s an interesting quote from Duterte: “But I am sure these are not killings sponsored by the City Government. Maybe on serious crimes like drugs and kidnappings but not on thieves and gang members.”
Duterte has practically admitted that the government was behind the killings of drug pushers and kidnappers but no, he insists, it could not be behind the killings of petty thieves.
[tags]davao today, davao, rodrigo duterte, crime, philippine politics, death squads[/tags]
