Duterte wants NBP inmates sent to Pacific Ocean

MANILA, Philippines – Convicted prisoners should be sent to fish in the Pacific Ocean using their genitals as bait.

This was the suggestion of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday to get rid of corruption in the criminal justice system in the country.

He suggested a facelift in the penal system by hauling off all detainees at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) and having them all fish in the Pacific as part of efforts to get rid of corruption.

Duterte said he is also thinking of borrowing a good quality hose from a huge gas station near Malacañang and using it on detainees of the NBP to clean them up.

Duterte spoke during the opening of the 23rd AFAD Defense Sporting Arms Show at the SM Megamall in Madaluyong City yesterday.

He lamented that NBP inmates enjoy their imprisonment for the right price and can enjoy the company of women, use illegal drugs and possess high caliber guns, or even go on furlough for a night.

If he had his way, Duterte said he would order the police Special Action Force to attack the prison facility and leave no one standing.

During his speech, Duterte cited the Philippine National Police which, he said, still has a good image although there are bad eggs destroying the reputation of the PNP.

“Fundamentally, the PNP is still clean, but there are still some crazy people there that are discrediting the national police,” he said.

Duterte also cited corruption in the judiciary where prosecutors and judges can be bought to drop a case in exchange for higher retirement benefits.

“I was a prosecutor once and I know how this system works… how much for the retirement of a prosecutor for instance? Six to seven million? Then let us give the prosecutor P50 million to drop the case. But again these are exceptions,” he said.

Duterte also said he caught several illegal drug peddlers in Davao and admitted he was asked about the death of one of them.

He recalled being confronted by former justice secretary Leila de Lima, who was then chairman of the Commission on Human Rights, about the death of a certain Alfredo Guevarra.

Mimicking the voice of De Lima, Duterte recalled the encounter with the former justice secretary. “Mr. Mayor, we overheard that you threatened a certain Alfredo Guevarra, and what is very surprising is that a day after he was found dead with a bullet in his head.”

“Ambot,” Duterte had said in reply to De Lima’s query, which means, “I don’t know” in Cebuano.

‘Too poor, too old to run’

Duterte was with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano at the gun show at SM Megamall yesterday. Cayetano has offered to be his running mate, urging the Davao mayor to run in the 2016 presidential elections.

Duterte said three reasons are holding him back from running for president in 2016.

“One is the objection of the family, my wife is ailing. Second is I’m old and third is I don’t have money,” he said.

Duterte promised to tell the public his problem. “Someday, I will tell you about the problem of the family, I’m not prepared to go public, but for me a valid reason, my wife is ailing, period.”

‘No invite from PDP-Laban’

He said the reports coming out that he might run as president in the 2016 elections are just “press releases,” referring to the PDP-Laban nomination.

“Until now my presidential ambition is just a press release, I have not received any letter of invitation or nomination from PDP Laban to be part of the 2016 elections… I would like to think that I am one who would like to serve the country, but my daughter had said I’ve done enough, more than enough,” he said.