Palace defends shoot-to-kill order vs 'narco-politicians'

Duterte, who has vowed to suppress narcotics trade and criminality within six months, accused the politicians of destroying lives and of enriching themselves at the expense of the people.

 

“P*t*ng I** niyo (Sons of whores). Did you not think about where this problem would lead us? It’s good that I am the president now. I will have you killed. Have you seen what you’ve done to the Philippines? And then I will forgive you?,” the president said in an interview in Davao City.

 

“My order is shoot to kill. I don’t care about human rights. Believe me. I don’t five a s**t about what they will say. This war is against drugs and we have a crisis,” he added.

 

“Shoot to kill will remain until the last day of my term.”

 

READ: 6 killed in raid on Espinosa house

 

Duterte who vowed to wage a “bloody” war against crime and illegal drugs, did not identify the politicians covered by the order. The president told editors and reporters of The STAR last Wednesday that he had to carefully validate the involvement of politicians in the narcotics trade before revealing their names.

 

 

The president earlier demanded Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. and his son Kerwin to surrender on the grounds of drug trafficking and coddling. A shoot-on-sight order was supposed to be issued if they resist and endanger the lives of arresting police officers. The elder Espinosa has surrendered to authorities but his son Kerwin has not.

 

Duterte said he would have forgiven the so-called “narco-politicians” if they were involved in other activities.

 

“If you (drug coddlers) were involved in other businesses like smuggling crate for crate, I will forgive you but in the wake of what you have done, you have destroyed many lives,” the president said.

 

“Don’t give me b*llsh*t. You better find another sin but not that (illegal drugs). You will surely die,” he added.

 

Asked to clarify his ‘shoot to kill’ order, Duterte said: “Shoot to kill is to shoot and kill him. Do not waste the bullet.”

 

Two mayors, allegedly involved in illegal drug trade, reportedly wept before Duterte and pleaded with him to spare their lives.

 

Duterte, however, refused to accept the resignation of the two mayors pending further investigation.

 

“Sabi ko, I will revalidate… kung nakalagay protector lang, what kind of protector: there are two kinds – the one that protects by telling (lawmen) not to touch them, ‘those are my men’, or ‘don’t touch them, their (operations were cleared with me)’,” Duterte said.

Duterte said based on his experience, paranoid people usually carry guns so it was not likely that they were planted by policemen. He reiterated that he is ready to protect soldiers and policemen who would face charges in connection with the intensified anti-drug campaign.

 

“For as long as it is done in the performance of as duty by the soldier and the police, that’s mine. That is my official and personal guarantee. I will answer for the deed,” Duterte said.

 

“If a police figured in an encounter, do not investigate that anymore. That’s my order.”

 

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Duterte’s statement is “congruent with government policy on maintaining and protecting peace and order in the nation.”

 

“He has given due and ample notice that the clear and present danger of drugs engulfing the nation will be addressed and law enforcers will neutralize those who resist or endanger the lives of arresting officers,” Abella said.

'Worrisome'

Sen. Leila de Lima, a human rights lawyer, earlier this week said an order to shoot on sight is archaic and not according to law.

 

“Alam po ng pangulo kung anong naaayon sa batas. That's all I can say. 'Yung shoot to kill, para sa akin, kasi hindi na dapat 'yan, 'di na uso 'yan,” she said.

 

“What is worrisome in this situation is that the war on drugs is becoming a convenient pretext for misguided or utterly corrupt law enforcers to kill just any one.”

 

More than 400 persons have been killed in anti-drug operations while more than 5,000 others have been arrested, according to latest police data. More than 560,000 drug personalities have surrendered to authorities.

 

Human rights advocates are worried that the administration’s crackdown on drugs would result in extrajudicial killings and abuses.

 

Duterte started to shame officials with supposed links to narcotics last July 5 when he named five retired and active police officers who are allegedly coddling drug lords.

 

Accused of shielding drug syndicates were retired Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo, Jr., retired police general and newly elected Daanbantayan, Cebu Mayor Vicente Loot, former National Capital Region Police Office head Chief Superintendent Joel Pagdilao, former Quezon City Police District director Chief Superintendent Edgardo Tinio, and Western Visayas regional director Chief Superintendent Bernardo Diaz.

 

The five have denied any links with narcotics and believes that the president was fed with wrong information. — Video report by Efigenio Toledo IV