DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 13 March) — A Moro leader here said he doubts the accusation that “Tatay Digong” was responsible for the thousands killed in the anti-drug war because former President Rodrigo Duterte has not even killed a mouse.
Deputy Mayor Pamikiren Latip P. Arumpac Jr. at the Coastal Road before the start of the pro-Duterte motorcade around Davao City. MindaNews photo by GREGORIO C. BUENO
But Pamikiren Latip P. Arumpac Jr., designated as “deputy mayor Iranun tribe” as shown in his identification card issued by the city government, noted that the former president does talk about killings as if he was serious about it.
“Iyon ang pamamaraan niya para matahimik ang Pilipinas. Nanakot si Duterte. Pero he never do killings,” the Iranun leader told reporters Thursday morning before the start of a motorcade around Davao’s major streets
“Kung sa salita, hindi naman nakakamatay yung salita,” Arumpac said.
He said he has been in Davao since he was small. “Walang nakita na pinatay ni Duterte. Kahit daga, wala siyang pinatay,” Arumpac added.
In contrast, he said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s father, the ousted Ferdinand Sr., was worse.
“Ang kasalanan ng tatay ni Marcos, compare mo sa kasalanan ni Duterte, napakalayo! Genocide yung kanya. Ilan ang pinatay niya? Ilan ang massacre sa martial law?” Arumpac said, adding that Marcos Sr. was just like Adolf Hitler.
Arumpac said he has a grudge against the Marcoses, all the more because of the administration’s supposed betrayal.
“Ilang dumaan na presidente, hindi nilibing si [Ferdinand Marcos Sr.] sa Libingan ng mga Bayani. Si Tatay Digong ang gumawa nito pero hindi nila tinanaw na utang na loob,” he said.
Arumpac is thankful to the former president for giving the Muslims in Davao a voice in running the city. “[Si Duterte] lang ang nagbigay sa amin ng boses na mga Muslim,” he noted.
During Duterte’s time as mayor, he helped unite the various indigenous and Moro peoples residing in Davao City by assigning each of the 11 major groups here a deputy mayorship. This effort helped in instituting city policies.
The Duterte city administrations have also regularly funded the Mecca pilgrimages of the Muslim faithful here.
For Arumpac, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was not to be trusted from the beginning.
“Sa aming mga Muslim, wala nang puwang si BBM. Nanalo lang siya dahil kay Sara at Tatay Digong,” he pointed out.
In prayers at the start of the event, Arumpac led the Muslim prayer, first in Arabic, and eventually in Filipino.
“Ya Allah, Ikaw ang may lakas, Ikaw ang nag-iisang makapangyarihan. Ya Allah, bigyan po muna ng kalayaan ang aming pangulo, pabalikin mo siya sa Pilipinas,” he prayed.
The community leader was among the hundreds of individuals who joined the motorcade around major streets in Davao City. They gathered first at the Coastal Road, the sunlight baking the group as temperatures hovered around the low 30s.
Various motor vehicles, including emergency response vehicles from government and volunteer rescue groups alike, led a parade around the city. Some waved banners, some waved Philippine flags, some called bystanders to support the city’s leader.
“If the International Criminal Court did indeed uphold the law, they would bring back Duterte,” Arumpac said. (Coverage by Gregorio C. Bueno, story by Yas D. Ocampo / MindaNews)
