CHR chief assails Duterte, says vice mayor wants to enforce 'law of the jungle'

Tweet

InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA, Philippines - Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chief Loretta Ann Rosales said Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte's law enforcement resembles that of the "Middle Ages" and the "law of the jungle." 

"Sibilisado tayong bansa at nasa demokrasya tayo at moderno na tayo pero tila ang batas na pinaiiral ni Vice Mayor Duterte ay panahon pa ng Middle Ages at saka iyan ang tinatawag na law of the jungle. Walang due process eh, walang paglilitis, walang presumption of innocence," Rosales said in an interview with Radyo Singko's "Todo Balita" on Monday.  

[We are a civilized, democratic, and modern country however, it seems like the law being enforced by Vice Mayor Duterte is similar to that of the Middle Ages and that is what we call the law of the jungle. There is no due process, no trial, no presumption of innocence.]

Rosales made the statement in reaction to Duterte's pronouncement last week that he would give a P2-million reward for information that would lead to the arrest of Ryan "Baktin" Yu, allegedly a leader of a gang of car thieves in Davao.  

Duterte also offerred a reward of P4 million if Yu is killed and an additional P1 million if the latter's decapitated head would be delievered to him preserved on ice.  

Rosales said Duterte's statements were gruesome and against the democratic process. 

"Nakakakilabot at tinuturuan niya ang mga kapulisan na gumamit ng karahasan, laban sa demokratikong process ng paglilitis. Iyan ang tinatawag na extra-judicial killing. Hindi ba iyan ang malaki nating problema tapos sinasabi niya okay lang iyan, iyan ang dapat nating gawin," Rosales said.

[It is horrible that he teaches the police to use violence and this is against the democratic process of a trial. This is what we call extra-judicial killing. Isn't this our big problem and now he says that it is okay and this is what needs to be done.]

While many if not most Davaoenos support their vice mayor's drastic measures, Rosales said Duterte was teaching the people not to trust the country's criminal justice system.  

"Tinuturuan niya rin ng mali ang mga tao. Eh sa isang media interview, sabi ba naman noong mga tao, 97 percent sabi ay okay na iyan, sige para mawala ang criminality. Ibig sabihin iyong mga tao walang tiwala sa ating criminal justice system," Rosales said.

[He teaches the people wrongly. In a media interview, 97 percent of the correspondents answered that this is okay to address criminality. This means that the people have no trust in our criminal justice system.]

Should one respond to Duterte's call, the vice mayor could face charges for violating the Constitution, according to Rosales. 

"Marami kaming plano, pinag-aaralan na. I have my legal division looking into this and they are coming up with a position...," the CHR chief said.

[We have many plans, this is already being studied. I have my legal division looking into this and they are coming up with a position...]

Follow @interaksyon