Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s threat to kill 15 senators should have a consequence, says an MP. - PDI/ANN
MANILA: The Philippines National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) should investigate former President Rodrigo Duterte’s joke about killing 15 senators to make way for the senatorial candidates he is endorsing, Lanao del Sur Member of Parliament Zia Alonto Adiong said on Sunday (Feb 16).
Adiong stressed the “serious implications” of Duterte’s statements in the society.
“In a democracy, words have power, especially when they come from someone who has held the highest office in the land. If certain statements warrant legal scrutiny, it is imperative that all similar declarations be assessed fairly and consistently,” the lawmaker said in a statement.
“In moments like these, our institutions must stand firm in upholding the rule of law. We must ensure that no individual, regardless of position or influence, can erode the principles of democracy and accountability,” he added.
Adiong also pointed out that the NBI should probe former President Duterte’s remark since it also investigated the “kill” threat of Vice President Sara Duterte against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
“If joking about a bomb threat is prohibited by the law and has a penalty, then threatening to kill 15 senators should also have a consequence,” he said.
“We have seen before how rhetoric like this can embolden individuals to take matters into their own hands, often with tragic consequences. When public figures normalize threats of violence, they create a dangerous environment where words can translate into real harm,” he added.
Duterte delivered the joke during the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) senatorial proclamation rally at Club Filipino in San Juan City last February 13.
“Now, there’s many of them. What should we do? Let’s kill the senators now to create vacancies,” he said in Filipino, eliciting laughter from the audience.
“If we can kill around 15 senators, we can all go in. But, they’d be pitiful. Yet they’re irritating — not all of them, though. Talking of opportunities, the only way to do it is to use a bomb,” he added. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
