Rs 5.2m Reward for Car Thief's Head

Davao City deputy mayor Rodrigo Duterte, known for being tough on criminals, told a news conference in Davao on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 that he would give two-million pesos (the equivalent of Rs1 500 000) if suspect Ryan Yu was arrested and four-million  (Rs3 000 000) if he was killed.

Then he said he'd add another million pesos (Rs 750 000) if Yu's severed head was "delivered to on ice".

'Co-operating with police'

Davao police chief Ronald de la Rosa said he had received text messages from people seeking assurances that the reward offer was real. He said they should co-operate with police.

Human Rights Commission chairman Loretta Rosales said Duterte violated the law by passing sentence on Yu without due process.

Duterte's offer comes as he runs virtually unopposed to regain his seat as mayor of Davao. His daughter is mayor but won't seek re-election. His son Paolo is running for deputy mayor.

Rosales urged Interior Secretary Mar Roxas to take action against Duterte, who has been indirectly linked to a "death squad" responsible for more than 200 killings of suspected criminals, including some minors, when he was mayor from 2004-09. He has denied  involvement.

Rosales said: "What he says... is irresponsible from a person of authority. That is an extra-judicial killing. He is justifying extra-judicial killing."

Duterte told reporters that Yu had made unfounded allegations of car smuggling against his son, Paolo, late in 2011 and that he had received a call from Roxas on behalf of president Benigno Aquino III asking about the allegations.

Where's yu?

It is not known where Yu is, or if he is still in the Philippines.

Duterte said the offer was prompted by the recent discovery of a compound where cars allegedly stolen by Yu's gang were being stored, adding the offer was open to anyone or any group, including Muslim and communist rebels.

Duterte made his offer saying: "Make your choice. You want to earn two-million, you want to earn four-million or if you want to be morbid about it - bring the head of Ryan Yu to me and I will add a million."

He suggested putting the head in an ice bag "so it won't smell bad".

He said the money would come from contributions to his election campaign.

De la Rosa said offering a reward for an arrest was legal, adding that if Yu resisted his death could be justified. "I have no comment about that," he said when asked about the reward for the decapitation.

He urged the public to co-operate with police, who would share in the reward. "Otherwise we will have so many Ryan Yus or people who look like him dead," he said.