Letter resonates with dad of victim-daughter

Stephen Monsanto’s letter (“Lawyer thought of ‘doing a Duterte’ after son’s near-fatal brush with crime” (Opinion, 6/6/16) resonated with us, having suffered a worse fate when our teenage daughter got raped and murdered some years ago.  The criminals who committed that ghastly crime were never brought to justice for “insufficient evidence,” although deep in our hearts we knew who did it.

The audacity with which that heinous crime was committed was appalling. Our daughter’s friends saw her get into a car after school late that afternoon. It seemed to them she knew who the guys were. But at some distance, they could now say they saw their faces. The next day, our daughter’s body was found on the street ravished and dead. It was rape, judging from the unspeakable brutality to which she was subjected.

The prosecutor went through the motions of telling us that if more evidence was found, he would waste no time reopening his investigation. As far as the police authorities were concerned, the case had hit a blank wall. I actually spent months tailing “my suspects” to look for evidence. But lacking in sleuthing skills, I got nowhere. In desperation, I had thought of just buying a gun to blow their heads off! Case closed! But  I could only wish our town mayor had half the guts and gumption Rodrigo Duterte had as mayor of Davao City.

Now, to President-elect Duterte, we say, may the “Force” continue to be with you, Sir!

—ULYSSES BERMUDEZ UY, [email protected]