Monday, August 06, 2007 AHU fully operational for Kadayawan Festival By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE controversial Anti-Hoodlum Unit created by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to address the growing problem on hooliganism will be fully operational in time for the Kadayawan celebration this month.
In his television program "Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa" Sunday, Duterte said the AHU has not yet been "formally organized" since the City Government is still purchasing the much-needed equipments for the specialized police unit.
"I still have to buy the assets needed for the unit like shotguns, bulletproof vests, baton ug shields. It will be operation in time for Kadayawan siguro," Duterte said.
The mayor said his main instruction to the unit is to "maim but not kill" those who are engaged in gang wars and other petty crimes.
Duterte, for the nth time, assured the public that the AHU is created not against the children but against petty criminals regardless of their age.
The mayor again lambasted the "warped minds" of non-government organizations that, he said, are always opposed to any projects of the government.
"Kunot-kunot kaayo nang inyong panghuna-huna ba. Tiwasan gyud ‘ta mo (Your thinking is warped. I might just put an end to you). You think you are the conscience of the society pero ang ginatudlo ninyo sa mga bata sayop (but what you are teaching the children is wrong)," Duterte said.
The mayor revealed that some NGO workers are telling CICL's to file charges against police officers who arrest them instead of lecturing the minors on the mistakes they have committed and encouraging them to reform.
"You are instead encouraging the minors to disobey the law," Duterte said.
The mayor said he will not tolerate such actions from some NGO's and will deal with them severely if he chanced upon them one of these days.
Duterte also accused some NGO's of sensationalizing issues against the government so they could get funding support from foreign donors.
"Some NGO's are just making money by agitating the society so they could solicit money from Western donors," Duterte said.
