Paolo duterte

IT LOOKS like the local government of Davao City is now at peace with the Philippine National Police (PNP) after months of obvious doubt on all officers assigned as director of the city command, even on an acting capacity basis only.

Yes, we mean after the tumultuous search and later arrest of controversial Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy, a known ally of the city’s ruling clan – the Dutertes – every officer designated as director of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) became an object of suspicion by the local leadership.

The designated officers were believed to be assigned with a specific political purpose intended to destroy the city’s reputation.

But it is our take that with the assumption of the incumbent DCPO director, the “doubting Thomases” were proven wrong. Upon his designation, the new director immediately reached out to the mayor and other officials and laid out his plans on how to keep the city’s peace and order.

He also assured the local officialdom that he is no politician’s tool. Rather, he committed to serve the interest of the people of the city.

The new DCPO director also showed that policemen are the people’s protectors and friends of the communities. Under the new DCPO leadership, the police outreach program was strengthened and the attendant outreach activities were welcomed by the communities.

Clearly, the city officials also saw all these police efforts. In reciprocation, the local government decided to augment the police’s capability to deliver the services they are sworn to do. And only early this week, the city turned over to the DCPO 32 units of brand new police patrol cars and three rescue vehicles. The total cost of the city’s support to the local police command was a staggering P77 million.

Now, who will argue with us that this gesture of the city leaders’ recognition of the local police and its current director’s full cooperation with the city’s intention to be peaceful are not manifestations of mutual trust?

We have no doubt that the local officials and the DCPO’s developing trust with each other will surely make this Southern Mindanao metropolis a much worthy investors and tourists destination?

We hope that this reciprocity will continue for the longest time regardless of how politics will be in the years to come.

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Well, we can only assume as to the possible reason or reasons why all the Duterte Congressmen have filed this bill in the House of Representatives.

We are referring to father and son Paolo Z. Duterte of Davao City’s first district, Omar Duterte of the second district. The third Duterte solon who is co-author of this bill is Harold T. James Duterte of the PPP Partylist.

The three filed the bill seeking to amend the Treasons Provision in the Revised Penal Code. The highlight provision of the bill the three Duterte solons filed is:

“Any Filipino citizen who surrenders or facilitates the surrender of a Filipino national to a foreign state or International body resulting in, or leading to an interrogation, imprisonment, torture, or death of that Filipino national, if found guilty of this act shall suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua to death, and shall be fined up to P4,000,000.00…and if the offender is a public officer, the bill mandates immediate removal from office, without prejudice to criminal prosecution.”

We have no doubt – even an iota of it – that the filing by the three Duterte lawmakers are prodded by their harsh experience as direct relatives of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte who is now on his 9^th month of detention at the International Criminal Court (ICC) jail in The Hague, Netherlands. The elder Duterte is charged with Crimes Against Humanity as consequence of his alleged “bloody” war on illegal drugs.

The relatives of the former Philippine President claim he was “kidnapped” and flown to The Hague with the facilitation from the Philippine government under incumbent President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.

Given the present situation of the composition of Congress we doubt if the Duterte proposed amendment to the Revised Penal Code can even reach the Committee level discussion. But frankly, we believe the proposed amendment deserves serious consideration.

After all, even if the bill is approved and becomes a law, it cannot be made retroactive to benefit the elder Duterte.

In other words the prospective beneficiaries of the amendment are present and future public officials, and private citizens of this country.

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