Rody: Safety of citizens more important than criminals

MANILA, Philippines – President Duterte yesterday asked human rights advocates to consider the safety of the general population as against the welfare of criminals, as he again justified his relentless war against illegal drugs.

Duterte said critics are talking “nonsense” while security forces are risking their lives to protect the country from drugs.  

“Nothing is free in this life. There’s always a price to pay. You choose: is it the comfort and safety of the?population? Or the lives of criminals?” Duterte told the troops at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal.

Duterte slammed human rights advocates for “talking nonsense.”

“We are supposed to protect the integrity of our republic and the safety of the citizens there. We are 104 million. You give me sh*t about – how many? – 1,600 being killed there? You’re not even sure how many of them died in encounters, how many committed suicide and how many were killed by those who were angry with them,” he said.

Duterte said security forces are also suffering casualties in the war on drugs. He claimed that an average of two policemen die every day in anti-drug operations.

“You work your ass to death, staking your life there, and then this will happen? These people just want to complain. I take full responsibility. Do your work… If you think there is a crime, shabu and if you have to shoot them, then shoot them. Just tell the truth,” he said.

Duterte shrugged off the claims of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) that an international court may investigate the killings in the country.

“Bugok yan (That is stupid). They have lawyers who don’t have brains,” he said.

“You know genocide is when you do something similar to what is being done in Africa. You bomb with wanton abandon and kill people with no reason at all, you massacre women, you burn women for refusing to have sex,” he added.

Duterte, who has been criticized for supposedly encouraging extrajudicial killings, said there is no wanton killing of civilians in the country.

He also hinted that “drug personalities” could be killing each other as operatives have planted intrigues within syndicates.

Duterte also disputed claims that his campaign against drugs is targeting only the poor.

“Don’t give me a drama that you are poor. Rich or poor, I don’t give a sh*t,” he said.

Duterte said many of the drug personalities are poor because there is a target market for narcotics in their area. He added the drug lords operating big time are abroad, with only their lieutenants in the country.

‘Nanlaban’ defense

The CHR, on the other hand, has sought the thorough investigation of all incidents involving suspects who were killed for supposedly fighting back or resisting arrest during police operations.

Citing the case of a pedicab driver who was shot dead even after he surrendered to the police during an operation in Pasay City, CHR Chairman Chito Gascon said such incidents cast doubt on the usual defense of resistance cited by authorities when suspects die at the hands of police.

“On the case of the police killing of the pedicab driver in Pasay: CHR will investigate,” Gascon said yesterday.

“This casts doubt on ‘nanlaban (resisting) defense’ posited regarding deaths during police operations and prompts thorough review of all cases,” he said.

Gascon also urged the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Internal Affairs Service to investigate the incident and file appropriate charges against those who have breached established protocols and standards.

Earlier reports said pedicab driver Eric Sison was shot dead by Pasay City policemen during an operation past midnight on Tuesday.

Sison died after a shootout with law enforcers, who supposedly recovered a gun and dried marijuana leaves in his possession.

However, an audio recording of the incident released by GMA News indicated that Sison – who was injured during the shootout – already told the police that he would surrender but was still repeatedly shot.

Gascon said the incident appeared to show excessive use of force on the part of the police and merits a thorough probe.

During the Senate investigation on extrajudicial killings, the police said 756 drug personalities were killed after resisting arrest.

Earlier, the CHR also initiated an investigation involving the death of drug user Jaypee Bertes and his father Renato inside a Pasay City police station after their surrender.

Their case was among those discussed in the Senate hearing, with the police saying they have filed murder charges against uniformed personnel who were involved in the incident.

Stay alive

PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa, on the other hand, lashed back at groups invoking human rights violations, saying they will not get a better deal.

“Remember that if you are killed, there is no amount of crying human rights violation would help to feed your children or send them to school, so you better stay alive,” Dela Rosa told a command conference of police officials at Camp Vicente Lim in Laguna yesterday.

Dela Rosa, however, clarified he is not encouraging policemen to violate human rights in doing their job. He said lawmen should operate based on police procedures.

He stressed the PNP is also undergoing the same war against illegal drugs to rid their ranks of scoundrels.

“Let me emphasize at this point that we are waging the same war within the PNP to rid our ranks not only of misfits and scalawags but also personnel who are involved in illegal drugs,” he said.

Dela Rosa reiterated that PNP personnel who would be confirmed positive for illegal drugs would receive corresponding punishments. – With Janvic Mateo, Cecille Suerte Felipe