Duterte hits ‘melodramatic’ Inquirer front page photo

LAMENTATION A weeping Jennelyn Olaires hugs partner Michael Siaron, 30, a pedicab driver and alleged drug pusher, who was shot and killed by motorcycle-riding gunmen near Pasay Rotonda on Edsa. He was one of six killed in drug-related incidents in Pasay and Manila yesterday. RAFFY LERMA/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

PRESIDENT Duterte on Monday downplayed a viral photo of a wife of a slain alleged drug pusher cradling the body of her husband, a photo of which was published in the Inquirer on Sunday.

During his State of the Nation Address (Sona) at the House of Representatives, Duterte told drug pushers and users not to run to the church and human rights groups to get away from their liability.

“Kung ayaw niyo mamatay, ayaw niyo masaktan, huwag kayo umasa sa mga pari at human rights. Hindi makakapigil ng kamatayan yan (If you don’t want to die and get hurt, don’t pin your hopes on priests and human rights [groups]. They can’t stop death),” Duterte said.

Duterte called out the attention of the Inquirer for publishing the photo showing the wife of a slain alleged drug pusher cradling her husband, which he downplayed as too “dramatic.”

The photo published in the banner of the Inquirer on Sunday showed Jennelyn Olaires weeping while hugging her husband Michael Siaron, a pedicab driver and alleged drug pusher who was shot and killed by motorcycle-riding men in Pasay City.

READ: Church: Thou shall not kill

Duterte said the couple was portrayed as Michaelangelo’s Pieta.

“Eh tapos nandiyan ka nakabulagta and you are portrayed in a broadsheet na parang Mother Mary cradling the dead cadaver of Jesus Christ. Eh yan yang mga yan magda-dramahan tayo dito,” Duterte said.

Duterte said the drug pushers could only blame themselves for being slain for their drug-related activities.

READ: Duterte: No stopping war vs drugs

“He who is the cause of the cause is the cause of them all,” Duterte said. RAM