Duterte on narco-list: No proof beyond reasonable doubt

MANILA, Philippines – There is not enough evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt the guilt of thousands of local officials and policemen in President Duterte’s new list of drug offenders.

The President himself made the admission Monday night, saying he has only established “probable cause,” which in legal procedure could justify the filing of appropriate criminal cases against those in the list.

“This is the drug industry of the Philippines. I cannot produce proof beyond reasonable doubt. Hanggang probable cause lang ako,” said Duterte, who is a lawyer, as he showed a list of what he called narco-politicians during a speech before outstanding Filipinos and overseas organizations in Malacañang Monday evening.

Included in his list were former Iligan City Rep. Vicente Belmonte Jr., former mayor of Lugait town in Misamis Oriental Willie Lim and former congressman Lawrence Cruz of Iligan City. “They are all high profiles,” he said.

Also in the list was former police general and now Daanbantayan, Cebu Mayor Vicente Loot – with over P100 million in questionable assets, according to Duterte.

The President again declared he would not be able to solve the drug problem alone in six months, contrary to what he had promised.

“This is my problem and maybe it will take my life or my entire term to solve it… Here’s General Loot who reported his assets – statement of assets and liabilities. He had P100 million because he was a good businessman,” the President said.

“That is my problem, that is why we have to take care of our generation. This is the drug industry. That is why I gave a copy to the Speaker and to the Senate and I said, ‘Hindi ko kaya. I cannot handle it on my own’,” Duterte added, referring to Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III.

Duterte said he cannot kill everyone in the list because there are just too many names in it.

The President again took potshots at Sen. Leila de Lima, whom he blamed for the proliferation of illegal drugs at the national penitentiary.

“And even if it is true that I could kill them with a bullet, I will run out of bullets and time to do it. That is the agony that we have. Many people do not realize it,” he said.

Duterte vowed to pursue his anti-drug campaign relentlessly until the last pusher or drug lord is eliminated.

He also belied accusations that he has encouraged the summary executions of drug personalities.

“If you do not agree with me, fine, I will not take it against you. But do not engage me in like question of law. I should know what I’m doing, I never declared I said, I never declared police punitive action,” he said.

He stressed he had been clear about his intention since Day 1 – especially after learning that four million Filipinos were into illegal drugs.

“Do I need another year and be afraid of human rights and all of these things?” 

He also defended anew the police operatives involved in the killing of Albuera mayor Rolando Espinosa. He maintained he believed in the police version of the killing – that Espinosa tried to fight it out with policemen who were about to serve a warrant to search for drugs in his cell.

He said he has allowed the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the incident.

Meanwhile, Misamis Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano denied involvement in the illegal drug trade as alleged by Duterte.

Emano said he is willing to submit himself for investigation to prove he is innocent.

Emano was among the local officials in Northern Mindanao mentioned by Duterte as involved in illegal drug operations.

Emano revealed former mayor Willie Lim called him up late Monday to deny his involvement in the drug trade and express fears for his safety.

“He even asked my advice on how to clear his name,” Emano said.

Right after their phone conversation, Emano said he called Senior Supt. Emmanuel Alvarez, the provincial police director, and asked him about Lim’s situation.

He said Alvarez advised him to wait for the incoming police regional director, Chief Supt. Agripino Javier, to assume office. Javier replaced Chief Supt. Noel Constantino as police regional director last Tuesday.   

Reforms not killings

 For some senators, reforms in the country’s criminal justice system – not killings – can best address criminality and the proliferation of illegal drugs in the country.

Sens. Risa Hontiveros, Grace Poe, Sherwin Gatchalian and Francis Pangilinan said the Duterte administration must take its cue from the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, which revealed that eight out of every 10 Filipinos are worried about extrajudicial killings while supporting the campaign against illegal drugs.

Gatchalian said that since many Filipinos are worried about the lack of due process as shown by the recent survey, the administration must show it is taking extra effort to end extrajudicial killings.

He proposed the creation of a task force to investigate extrajudicial killings and prosecute those behind them.

He also cited the need for reforms in the judiciary, including increasing its budget as well as that for prosecutors.

“Extrajudicial killings must end because the solution is not to kill all addicts and pushers like animals,” Pangilinan, for his part, said.

Hontiveros said the latest poll showed the people “prefer a human and rules-based campaign against illegal drugs.”

“The writing on the wall is clear. The government cannot spin the result of this survey any other way. While there is apparent strong public support to the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, the people want it to be based on human rights and rule of law,” she said.

“I hope that this is the last time we will debate the existence of EJKs. No more EJK deniers. Majority of our people see it as a real problem that must be immediately addressed by the government,” she maintained.

Hontiveros described the government’s war on drugs as “cruel and medieval.”

She said it is time for the government to acknowledge the drug problem as a public health issue, and a strictly punitive and violent war on drugs has failed in many parts of the world.

Poe said while she may favor the proposed revival of the death penalty only for heinous crimes, the more urgent and important step for the government to take is to reform the judiciary.

“Our courts need rehabilitation both physically and also manpower wise. We should be able to see that certain judges that are corrupt are being punished so that you know that the court system is fair,” Poe said.

“What I’m worried about is, now with the current judicial system we have, you have a death penalty where the poor would be under represented,” she pointed out.

She said she found “unsettling” Duterte’s statement that he wants five to six convicts executed daily if and when the death penalty is revived. – With Paolo Romero, Gerry Lee Gorit