MANILA, Philippines — Former president Rodrigo Duterte faced the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee which is investigating the extrajudicial killings and the war on drugs during his administration, on Monday, October 28.
This came as a surprise to many as Duterte skipped the House of Representatives’ probe into the same matter. Instead, he decided to appear before the upper chamber, where his allies Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who was the national police chief when the drug war began, and his former aide Senator Christopher “Bong” Go sit as lawmakers.
His appearance at the hours-long hearing was not for naught, as he made extraordinary revelations including that he told the police to encourage criminals to fight back to give them a reason and a justification to kill.
“Ang sinabi ko, ganito, prangkahan tayo. Encourage the criminals to fight. Encourage them to draw their guns. Iyan ang instruction ko… Encourage them lumaban. Pagka lumaban, patayin ninyo para matapos na ang problema ko sa siyudad ko,” Duterte said. “Noong nagpresidente ako, ganoon din sa command conference, [riyan] sa Malacañang, iyan ang utos ko.”
(I told them this, let’s be frank. Encourage the criminals to fight. Encourage them to draw their guns. That was my instruction… Encourage them to fight back. If they fight back, kill them to so my city will be free of its problems. When I became the president, I told the police the same thing during my command conference in Malacañang. That was also my order.)
Duterte also revealed that he had his own personal death squad but it did not consist of policemen, nor were they paid for killing. This, ran counter with what retired police colonel Royina Garma said that there were rewards for the drug war killings. When Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee chairperson Koko Pimentel clarified his statement, Duterte said it’s “not really a death squad” but people know not to do heinous crimes when he is around.
The former president’s admission came shortly after he claimed that the police generals present at the Senate were all “death squad” members because killing criminals is ultimately part of their job.
On Tuesday, October 29, House human rights committee chairperson Bienvenido Abante said Duterte’s revelations make him liable for crimes against humanity saying “Duterte’s admission in the Senate hearing, made spontaneously and as an admission against interest, is binding upon him.”
Human rights lawyer and Free Legal Assistance Group chairperson Chel Diokno said Duterte’s admission serves as “damning evidence” that can be used against him in court.
Duterte is set to appear before the House of Representatives quad committee investigation into the extrajudicial killings, and the war on drugs on Wednesday, November 6.
Watch all the admissions Duterte made during the October 28 Senate hearing. – Rappler.com
