Binay twits Duterte: Your killing of the poor isn’t debatable

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS

Vice President Jejomar Binay has responded to the debate challenge of fellow presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, saying that the latter’s alleged involvement to extrajudicial killings was not debatable.

READ: Duterte dares Binay to debate

“Ang mali ay mali. Killing the poor, including helpless children, can never be justified. It is morally wrong and un-Christian. Killing people who are kneeling down or with their hands tied behind their backs is not courage. It is an act of cowardice. Duwag lang ang pumapatay ng bata. Duwag lang ang pumapatay ng taong nakaluhod at nakatali ang mga kamay,” Binay said in a statement Wednesday.

“Mr. Duterte, hindi subject ng debate ang pagpatay mo ng mahihirap, lalo na ng mga bata. Hindi na dapat magdebate dahil ikaw mismo ang umamin na ikaw ang Davao Death Squad. Ang mga patayan sa Davao ay gawa ng Davao Death Squad, hindi ng pulis,” he added.

READ: Binay chides Duterte: Presidency not for murderers, liars

Duterte on Monday challenged Binay to a debate on morality and corruption after the United Nationalist Alliance standard-bearer called him “butcher of the poor,” to which he responded by calling Binay “butcher of the people’s money.”

Binay reiterated his previous remarks that the tough-talking mayor admitted in several occasions that had killed criminals in his turf and bragged about his links to the alleged Davao Death Squad.

READ: Binay asks public not to vote for ‘berdugo’ Duterte

The vice president said Duterte’s challenge to debate was a “cheap gimmick,” showing that the mayor “had no credible defense for his record as an executioner of the poor.”

“Isang cheap gimmick ang hamon mong debate. Ipinapakita lamang nito na wala ka nang maisip na isagot dahil totoo ang sinasabi ko: ikaw ay pumapatay ng mahihirap, hindi ng mayayaman. Ikaw ay pumapatay ng walang pakundangan, hindi ka kumikilala ng batas ng tao at batas ng Diyos,” Binay said.

READ: Binay calls Duterte ‘berdugo’ of the poor

Duterte, known for his iron-fist style of leadership, was widely criticized for his alleged links to the so-called Davao Death Squad, which had been a subject of a Department of Justice investigation. Human rights groups including Amnesty International also raised red flags on Duterte’s human rights record.

Part of his campaign promise was to eliminate crime within six months should he win the presidency in the May 9 polls. JE

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