Several weeks ago, Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was foaming, I mean, fuming mad as he warned pirated DVD vendors against the selling of pornographic films. Actually, the fierce mayor more than warned. He threatened. And Dabaweños know it that that when he does, more often these threats cross in bloody lividity some planes--yeah, human body planes.

Just like how he was angered to the hilt by the proliferation of meth in the City years ago (that saw the demise of a number of people whose names appeared on a list of suspected shabu pushers that he announced on TV), the Mayor literally gnashed and putang-ina-ed at the stacks of pirated videos showing very young girls sucking overgrown pacifiers. He cited how these are sold publicly even by young kids themselves.

So he ordered that pirated DVD stalls around the city be cleansed of the Barely 12 vids and all other vids that show human flesh, regardless of sexual orientations and bizarre fetishes.

And came next was the heart-to-heart talk to local pirated video industry players and their advisers. Their studios may not be as glitzy as hollywood but boy, they have their advisers: the community elders and religious leaders. All you need to do is to drive to Quimpo Boulevard here to find them--the pirates, the studious, and their advisers.

But the Mayor is tentacled, and each carries a particular plan that could be fine, plain, gruff, or peculiar.

Calling these pornographic materials a product of sick minds, the mayor prescribed a remedy that might not sit well with moralists and human rights advocates. He invited--well, sort of adviced--the clean pirates to watch the whole industry if they want to be spared of his wrath.

"Ug dili mo gusto maapil, bantayi ninyo nang inyong mga kauban. Ug dili makaya, kay panghuroton ta man gyud mo dihang tanan, dunggaba (If you want to be spared, better watch other vendors. If one is unstoppable, stab him)," he said.

But I'm wondering whether the Mayor is still effective at his scare tactics or perhaps the pirates are just void of fear already that the Mayor's threats and tentacles are no longer working just like before. Why because a week after that, while I was checking on pirated videos along Uyanguren, a vendor asked: "x-rated sir?"

7 comments:

MANDAYA MOORE: Ang bayot sa bukid said...

the mayor, being a former prosecutor, forgot about the law. the "pirated" vcds and dvds are illegal, porno or not.

tse ka!

gikapoy ko sa dula kagabii day!

Lyka Bergen said...

Eh kung di pirated ang porno? Pwede?

Tse Sya!

Gin kapoy ako sa dila kagab-i day!

Kiks said...

He must be smelling his rusting blades every evening, looking for a way out to stick into some fresh back or underside.

I never had sympathy for a man who apparently cannot seem to fathom why video-piracy, porn and drug trade proliferate in his city, and simply calls for the use of unnecessary (and unjust) violence to resolve the issue.

He's blood-thirsty. Ika nga ng isang Bookworm Adventure addict, warmongering wampire.

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

Mayor Duterte dropping by here in Manila will be *really helpful. I guess. =)

In Quiapo (among other places), police/OMB raids are scheduled. The pirates actually know when (and by that, i mean the exact time) the officers are coming, in turn, they get to hide the "good dvds." Reality be told, the "raids" are mere class acts. It's weird right? =(

Well, I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles. =(

BTW, thanks for the visit bananas. We agree on this one thing: America is adorable. Have you watched “Real Women Have Curves?” Her performance in that HBO mini-movie is spectacular. And her role in “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” just doesn’t do that amazing woman justice. That role is way, way underrated for an artist that good. And Vanessa Williams? Classic.

ruff nurse-du-jour said...

Mayor Duterte dropping by here in Manila will be *really helpful. I guess. =)

In Quiapo (among other places), police/OMB raids are scheduled. The pirates actually know when (and by that, i mean the exact time) the officers are coming, in turn, they get to hide the "good dvds." Reality be told, the "raids" are mere class acts. It's weird right? =(

Well, I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles. =(

BTW, thanks for the visit bananas. We agree on this one thing: America is adorable. Have you watched “Real Women Have Curves?” Her performance in that HBO mini-movie is spectacular. And her role in “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” just doesn’t do that amazing woman justice. That role is way, way underrated for an artist that good. And Vanessa Williams? Classic.

johnnypanic said...

same thoughts exactly. more than interesting that he'd outlaw porn, but not piracy. paradoxical.

chase / chubz said...

pamatya tanan ayaw lng ang mga naninda ug dibidi!!