The reported offer of Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to pay P5 million for the head of a notorious carnapper is vintage Duterte and should only surprise those who do not know how long he has been associated with reports of extrajudicial killings in that city.
What should be more surprising, though, is the continued apathy of government toward this uniquely open phenomenon in Davao, especially now that the Aquino administration is in power, an administration that just as openly boasts of righteousness and incorruptibility.
President Aquino cannot pursue righteousness and incorruptibility by only going after his enemies and turn a blind eye, or worse, protect and coddle friends who commit similar or greater shenanigans.
Corruption is not only stealing. In its far worse form, it is the perversion of what is true, relevant, and good in our lives. Extrajudicial killing corrupts the very concept of justice and law enforcement and is far worse than stealing.
And yet Aquino has never lifted a finger against Duterte. And why has Aquino never lifted a finger against Duterte? It is not because he thinks Duterte is innocent. It is not because he is afraid of Duterte.
The reason Aquino has never lifted a finger against Duterte is because it is not politically expedient for him to do so. To Aquino, political expediency is framework that defines the great subterfuge of anti-corruption that he used to brainwash the whole nation.
The president has repeatedly been asked here and abroad about the human rights record of his administration. The reason for the repetitiveness is his continued failure to give a straight and convincing answer.
All that the president has succeeded in doing is to inanely mumble motherhood statements about perpetrators of human rights abusers and extrajudicial killers having their days numbered. Well, here is one, Mr. President, who is brazenly begging to be dealt with.