Palace: Let Duterte assume command responsibility

MANILA, Philippines - With President Duterte taking full responsibility for the actions of security forces while martial law is enforced in Mindanao, Malacañang yesterday called on the Office of the Ombudsman to allow the Chief Executive to impose disciplinary action against erring security officials.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Malacañang, however, respects the mandate of the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct probe against erring government officials.

Abella stressed that Duterte, as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, “assumes command responsibility for the actions of his men.”

“The President requests that investigations of members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) related to the performance of their duties in the government’s anti-drug campaign or while Mindanao is under martial law be addressed to him,” he said.

Duterte has said he is ready to take responsibility for the actions of his men in relation to his call to stamp out illegal drugs. 

He also adopted the same stand amid concerns that his declaration of martial law in Mindanao is prone to abuses by the police and the military.

“I will not allow my men to go there to be investigated. Human Rights Commission, you address your request through me because the Armed Forces is under me and the police is under me,” Duterte said during a press briefing after he delivered his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday.

“That’s why if you have to question them for investigation, they will have to go over me,” he added.

Duterte also urged all uniformed personnel to seek his clearance first before answering queries from the Office of the Ombudsman.

“And for the ombudsman to refrain from citing them in contempt. For what? Because I have the authority to give the final say whether they will attend or not,” Duterte said.  

The AFP, on the other hand, assured the President and the public that major areas in Mindanao are secured despite the ongoing operations in Marawi.

AFP spokesman Gen. Restituto Padilla said the people in Mindanao actually feel more secure since President Duterte imposed martial law last May 23. Congress approved the Chief Executive’s request to extend it to the end of this year, a move fully supported by top security officials.

Padilla stressed nothing has changed in the national threat board even while the fighting in Marawi is ongoing.

“This is nothing new. There have been pronouncements before. And it’s because of the offshoot of the violent incidents happening in Marawi,” Padilla said at the regular Mindanao Hour in Malacañang.

“But by and large, Mindanao remains peaceful because of the enforcement of martial law and our strong security measures that are in place,” he said.

Security forces have been on alert against local terrorists as well as criminal gangs which might take advantage of the situation.

“Case in point, there were so many checkpoints that have been established, and we have controlled the movement of suspicious people from getting to different places, because they may not be up to anything good,” Padilla said.

A Mindanao lawmaker, Lanao del Norte Rep. Mohammad Khalid Dimaporo, however claimed the presence of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels remains a security threat in the province. – With Jaime Laude, Lino dela Cruz