TEARS OF CONTRITION Ronnel Mas, a 25-year-old public school teacher from Masinloc, Zambales, breaks into tears when arrested by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday over a Twitter post offering P50 million to anyone who could kill President Duterte. Mas later apologized to the President, saying he just wanted his social media post to be noticed. —MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
MANILA, Philippines – The arrest of a teacher who offered a P50 million reward for anyone who would kill President Rodrigo Duterte shows a double standard as the chief executive himself has openly encouraged killings, an opposition lawmaker claimed on Tuesday.
Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) party-list Rep. France Castro said that it was unfair for ordinary people to be immediately arrested for making such a remark when Duterte faced no risk of detention whenever he issued a threat.
Castro’s statement came hours after the public high school teacher was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents for tweeting the controversial dare.
“Double standard ang batas, ‘pag Pangulo ang nagti-threat okay lang, ‘pag karaniwang tao, kulong. Dapat pantay ang paglapat sa batas,” Castro told INQUIRER.net in a message.
[The law appears to have double standards. When a President makes threats it’s fine, but ordinary folks get arrested. The implementation of the law should be equal.]
According to Castro, if the teacher is arrested, then Duterte should be held accountable under the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials for his ill-timed jokes, for cursing, for allegedly ordering killings, and for disrespecting women.
“Hindi ba lumalabag ang presidente sa Code of Ethics and ethical standard ang pangulo sa pagmumura, pag-joke ng kabastusan sa babae at pag- utos ng pagpatay?” she asked.
Also, the lawmaker who is also part of the House of Representatives’ Makabayan bloc, said that the supposed warrantless arrest of the teacher was degrading and violative of his right to due process.
Even before he was elected into office, Duterte had openly urged police officers to kill criminals and those involved in the drug trade, even saying that his eventual presidency would be bloody and that funeral parlors would flourish under his term.
During the enhanced community quarantine over Luzon due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Duterte also drew criticism for warning that troublemakers, especially those from the left, “would be shot.” He later clarified that it was not a shoot-to-kill order but a reminder to law enforcers whose lives might be in danger.
Earlier, NBI officials confirmed the arrest of the teacher, identified as a certain Ronnel Mas, who would undergo inquest proceedings. Mas, a social studies teacher with a master’s degree, was arrested on Monday in Barangay North Poblacion, Sta. Cruz, Zambales.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised briefing that they would leave the fate of the arrested teacher to the NBI.
He will face charges for violating provisions of the Republic Act No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials
/atm