MANILA – Manila mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso defended his move of publicly presenting crime suspects in the city, castigated by detained Sen. Leila de Lima.
Domagoso said his action does not violate the criminals’ rights but wanted to show off to his constituents that he is serious in curbing criminals in the capital city.
“Wala. Magalang pa nga tayo sa totoo lang. Hindi ko naman sila hinihiya although mga walanghiya ito,” Domagoso said. “Inaalagaan ko pa nga pagkakakilanlan nila sa harap ng publiko. Pero kailangan makita ng mga taga-Maynila na may warm body.”
“Puwede tayong usapang laway lang pero kung nakikita niyo talaga, hindi ba ito magbibigay ng kapanatagan? Hindi ba ito patunay na seryoso kami sa kampaniya? Paano ‘yung human rights ng gusto matulog ng mahimbing?” he added.
“You are entitled to your own opinion but for the meantime, being the Mayor of Manila, I have an obligation to clear the city of criminals,” Domagoso said.
De Lima on Thursday said Domagoso’s public presentation of suspects was “violative of their constitutional right to the presumption of innocence.”
“Nakita po natin ang pagsisikap ni Mayor Isko na patalikurin ang mga nasabing suspek at maitago ang kanilang mukha. Gayumpaman, naiharap pa rin sila sa mga kawani ng media at mga taong naroon,” de Lima said.
Last week, Moreno presented 35 drug suspects before the media. Another 14 drug users and peddlers stood behind him in an Aug. 8 press conference at the Manila City Hall./PN
