EDITORIAL - The killing joke

He is at it again. Speaking during the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan senatorial proclamation rally at the Club Filipino in San Juan City last Thursday, former president Rodrigo Duterte again threatened to kill someone.

Actually not just one person, but 15 people. In particular 15 sitting senators of the republic, so that his entire slate can make it to the Senate.

"Ngayon, marami kasi sila, ano dapat ang gawin natin? Eh di patayin natin ang mga senador na 'yon para mabakante... Makapatay ta ng kinse senador pasok tayo lahat... Talking of opportunities the only way to do it is to ...pasabugin nalang natin 'yung ano,” he said, implying the use of a bomb to kill the senators.

We see what some will say. They will say he was just joking. In particular one senator might come to his defense saying it was just “hyperbole”. The president never really means what he said and exaggerated, and only people close to him, like that particular senator, can tell when he’s serious and when he isn’t.

Well, yes, that might actually be the case; he might not have meant it. And considering his particular brand of humor, he actually might have meant it as a joke. But it was not funny at all. Not in the slightest.

In fact, what he said could be taken as a threat, not just to anyone but to high government officials. It should not have been said.

We were hoping his time in the Palace and time as the land’s highest official could have at least taught him how to be more circumspect with his words, but this doesn’t seem to be the case.

There is another reason why he shouldn’t make such statements so lightly. There is no doubt he has loyal followers all over the country only too willing to ask how high when he tells them to jump. Who knows? They might just misinterpret/misconstrue his statements as a call to action.

And if that does happen, if some senator or senators end up dead for one suspicious reason or another, who then should be blamed?