DAVAO CITY – Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said he would not allow deportation for foreign nationals involved in crime in the city. This after four suspects, including an Indian-national, were arrested for abducting another Indian-national here.
Malih Jaspar Singh, 31, and resident of Wellspring Village in Catalunan Pequeno was reportedly kidnapped around 9:30 am on Tuesday. After 72 hours, suspects Jerry Singh who was an Indian-national, Josephine Onas, and Noel and Bobby Onin were presented by authorities to Duterte.
During his program, Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa, on Sunday Duterte said he will not allow deportation for Jerry Singh, who was reportedly the mastermind of the kidnapping.
“I will never allow a deportation. You cannot escape the severity of the law, you go to prison for kidnapping,” Duterte said citing the case of the American-national, allegedly involved in Davao City bombing, Michael Meiring. “Kagaya ‘to nung Amerikano, kinuha nila si Meiring na may kasalanan dito (This was like the American, they got Meiring who has a crime here),” Duterte said.
On May 16, 2002, Meiring, who introduced himself as a treasure hunter, lost his two legs in a premature bomb explosion in Evergreen Hotel along Uyanguren Street.
Meiring was reportedly taken by agents of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation from the hospital without permission from authorities prompting speculations from Duterte, himself, that he was an American spy linked to terror bombings in Mindanao. According to previous reports, charges against Meiring for illegal possession of explosives and damaged to property due to reckless imprudence remain pending in court here.
Duterte said he also prohibited the police authorities in divulging how the operation was conducted.
“That’s a confidential matter. Basta tama lang yang may krimen tapos nahuli. You do not ask how we go about arresting the criminals (That’s enough that there was a crime and the suspect was caught),” Duterte said adding that he ordered police not to talk and just give him a copy of the investigation.
Duterte also said that if he is to decide, he would restore the penalty of death for criminals involved in drugs, kidnapping, murder, robbery, and rape.
“Death by hanging,” Duterte said adding that he does not care whether death penalty deters a person from committing a crime.
“I do not care if it could not deter (crime). What I am about to really say to you is that there are two principles: it might deter persons from committing a crime or if he has committed a crime, you pay and that is retribution,” he said. (davaotoday.com)
