Former President Rodrigo Duterte admitted on Monday, October 28, that he instructed the police to “encourage” criminals to resist, justifying using lethal force against them.
The former president made the admission to the lawmakers as the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee started investigating his administration’s war on illegal drugs.
“Ang sinabi ko ganito, parangkahan tayo, encourage the criminals to fight. Encourage them to draw their guns,” Duterte said.
Pagka lumaban, patayin ninyo para matapos na ang problema ko sa siyudad ko. Nung na-presidente ako, ganun rin sa command conference,” he added.
Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros pressed Duterte for confirmation on whether he had indeed instructed police to provoke suspects into resisting so they could be killed, to which Duterte responded, “Correct, yes.”
Hontiveros disapproved, stating she finds such an approach “very incorrect.”
In response, Duterte asserted that he knows better than Hontiveros, arguing that she lacks experience in mayoral leadership.
“That’s your view. It’s not my view. Pagka-mayor, pagka-prosecutor, ako alam ko, dumaan prosecutor, mayor, presidente, alam ko ang trabaho ko. Hindi ka nagdala ng siyudad. You never have a chance to solve the problem of the community,” Duterte told Hontiveros.
“Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you for putting it on record,” Hontiveros replied.
Duterte also mentioned that he had given these instructions to former national police chiefs Archie Gamboa, Vicente Danao, and Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, each of whom had served in Davao City, his stronghold.
He referred to these police officials as “commanders of the death squad”—although he denied using the police to carry out kill orders.
Former senator Leila De Lima, who led an investigation into the Davao Death Squad as human rights chairperson, highlighted during the same Senate hearing that there are accounts and testimonies that DDS exists.
In response, Duterte stated that all the police generals present in the Senate session hall had led death squads, explaining this was because they killed in the line of duty. The officials he referred to included Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa; former police chiefs Archie Gamboa, Vicente Danao, and Debold Sinas; former drugs board chairperson Catalino Cuy; and current Major General Romeo Caramat.
“They were police directors handling, controlling crimes in the city. Pag sinabi mong death squad, it’s a very loose term na ginagamit mo lang,” Duterte said.
“I can make the confession now if you want…. Meron akong death squad, pero hindi ang mga pulis. Sila rin ang mga gangster, ‘yung isang gangster utusan ko, kung hindi mo patayin ‘yan, patayin kita ngayon,” Duterte added.
Duterte’s appearance before the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee marks his first participation in a congressional inquiry regarding his administration’s controversial anti-drug campaign, known as Oplan Tokhang.
This campaign positioned the former president as a key figure in the International Criminal Court’s investigation into crimes against humanity complaints filed by families of drug war victims. (TCSP)
