DAVAO CITY(MindaNews/ 27 October)—Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s P5 million bounty for the head of alleged carnapping syndicate leader Ryan “Baktin” Yu was apparently “borne out of anger and in haste to protect his son Paolo,” militants said on Friday.
Rev. Jurie Jaime, secretary general of Karapatan-Southern Mindanao, said Duterte’s statement was brought about by anger because his son Paolo was implicated with Yu.
But Jaime quickly added that this was just “their figurative interpretation” on Duterte’s pronouncement.
Duterte reportedly said earlier that Yu has been dropping Paolo’s name to smuggle cars into the country.
Paolo is an incumbent city councilor who will run for vice mayor next year under his father’s political party, Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod.
Sheena Duazo, Bayan Southern Mindanao spokesperson, said that with or without a reward, there “could be a speedy resolution” if the police force will exert all efforts to bring Yu to jail.
Duterte, who will run for mayor again in the 2013 elections, reportedly offered Thursday a bounty of P5 million for Yu’s head that “should be preserved in ice.”
The vice mayor said that P2 million will be the reward for the one who can bring Yu alive, P4 million if he is killed, and P5 million if one can bring his head.
Commission on Human Rights chief Loretta Ann Rosales reportedly said Duterte’s pronouncement is unjust and a violation of human rights, calling it an abuse of power.
She said that suspects have the right to due process of law and the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
City police chief Ronald dela Rosa also said killing Yu is unlawful.
The police would rather capture him alive and use him to get the other carnappers or syndicate members in order to solve the carnapping problem in the city, dela Rosa said.
Meanwhile, aside from Yu, Duazo said the police must also exert efforts to capture fugitives like retired general Jovito Palparan, Jr., known as the “berdugo” (butcher) for his alleged involvement in
the killings and disappearances of leftist activists.
President Benigno Aquino III had raised to P2 million the bounty for Palparan’s capture. (Lorie Ann A. Cascaro/MindaNews)