PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, July 25, sought the retention of P50-million threshold amount for plunder.
He made the remark, following the openness of his former special aide and now Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go to lower the penalty imposed against an individual who commits plunder to P10 million from the current P50 million.
"Si Bong, he wants a death penalty for plunder. I am for it. Kung wala kang plunder, threshold (The amount threshold for plunder) is P50 million. He wants me to announce it here. Wala naman plunderer dito (There is no plunderer here)," Duterte said in a speech delivered in Candon City, Ilocos Sur.
"We're doing our best. Bong wants plunder. 'Yung P50 million (P50 million is better). I think, if I may, masyadong P10 million is [too low]. P10 million now is [low]. P50 million siguro (Perhaps, P50 million is acceptable," he added.
Duterte's statement came three days after he renewed his call on Congress to pass a measure reinstating the death penalty for heinous crimes related to illegal drugs and corruption.
On July 2, Go filed a Senate bill seeking the reimposition of death penalty for drug-related offenses and plunder.
Under Go's proposed measure, a person charged with illegal drugs or plunder will face death penalty through lethal injection.
Duterte, in his speech, quipped that he prefers death by hanging.
"Death penalty for plunder at saka drugs (and illegal drugs), I am for it. If you are not a plunderer, if you do not have the money in the bank, why should you be afraid? [P50 million] tama iyan (is good for) plunder," he said.
"Ako naman, ang aking take diyan is ayaw kong mag-sayang ng isang bala. Mahal 'yung isang bala ng M-16. Siguro mga P70 iyan. So sabi ko, 'yung lubid na lang, 'yun gawa ng La Union kasi talagang... Ano ba ginagawa niyo dito? So ayan ho, pabiro na, a few thoughts exchanged between you and me," he added.
(For me, my take is I don't want to waste a bullet. It's pricey. A bullet of M-16 costs P70 each. So it's better to use rope from La Union. What are you doing? What I said was a joke, a few thoughts exchanged between you and me.) (SunStar Philippines)