DUTERTE TO DETRACTORS: THEY MISSED THE POINT

DAVAO City - Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte Thursday lashed back at his critics
for making a big fuss out of his speech during the crime summit in Manila
Tuesday, saying his detractors got it all wrong when he addressed the
conference attended by no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Duterte said he was addressing himself to the criminals when he was asked
by the President to give his opinion on kidnapping and that he was just
merely using a "hyperbole" to drive home his point.

"They entirely missed the point. Who can argue with that (an eye for an
eye, tooth for a tooth policy). That was my opinion. I'm entitled to that,"
Duterte told reporters Thursday afternoon.

"I was in a hyperbole mode. My market at that time... I was having a
dialogue with the criminals. I was talking to the criminals," he added.

Duterte said he is standing by his words during the summit despite the
barrage of criticisms from anti-crime groups, human rights advocates and
even national and police officials.

But the mayor clarified he never proposed that summary killing is the most
effective way to fight criminality in the country.

Duterte was invited in the summit upon his appointment by the President as
head of a special task force on anti-kidnapping and anti-illegal drugs.

He, however, declined the post and instead offered himself to act as the
President's consultant on public order and security matters.

Still, the statements Duterte made during the affair alarmed human rights
groups.

"The intention of the criminals is to instill fear in their victims and
kill them. What should we do, but we kill them also.

"My policy is that if you are a kidnapper and a drug pusher, you put
yourself and your life on the line," Duterte was quoted as saying.

"That's the law of the jungle," Anakbayan party-list Rep. Loretta Ann
Rosales told the Inquirer in denouncing Duterte's policy.

Also in an Inquirer report, Santos Lamban, secretary general of the
Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates, asked: "does this mean that
President Macapagal-Arroyo will sanction salvaging against suspected
criminals."

More human rights groups and an unidentified top police official in Metro
Manila feasted on the issue and assailed Duterte for his remarks.

But Duterte remains unfazed and even fired his own verbal canons against
his detractors.

"Kayo d'yan wala nang nasabi, wala pang ginagawa (You haven't said anything
and haven't done something to mitigate criminality). You criticize me for
expressing my indignation publicly?" Duterte asked.

The mayor's speech at the Manila Hotel conference was even applauded by the
President and members of the Filipino-Chinese community.

Duterte said he can understand the feelings of those who cheered his tough
words.

Filipino-Chinese citizens, he said, are the favorite targets of
kidnap-for-ransom groups and have suffered a lot from criminals.

"It's two things. It's either there is desperation (on their part) or they
are exasperated (with the police), or they really want justice," Duterte added.

Besides, the mayor said, he was just exercising his right to voice out his
opinion in a democratic society.

"This is a free and democratic country. Since when did I lose my right to
freedom of expression, ladies and gentlemen?" Duterte asked.