Duterte says his old age can help him avoid jail

MANILA, Philippines — Old age may be a disadvantage to some but for President Rodrigo Duterte, it is a means to avoid imprisonment.

 

The tough-talking Duterte said that under the law, prisoners who are 70 years old or above should be released.

 

“I don’t care about human rights. I said I have a problem to solve. I must first solve the problems of the country. I am already 71 years old and according to the Revised Penal Code, you have to be released once you reach 70,” the president said.

 

“If I order the killing of someone, you cannot arrest me. I have immunity. I have this pardoning power and if I order you to carry it out, I will pardon you,” he added.

 

Duterte said he would be 77 by the time he steps down.

 

“After the end of my term, I’ll be 77. Where will you place me?” the chief executive said.

 

“Wala silang laban. (They cannot use anything against me).”

 

Under the Revised Penal Code, one of the circumstances that may mitigate criminal liability is when the offender is under 18 years of age or over 70 years. The same law states that any convict who is not a habitual criminal, shall be pardoned at the age of 70 if he shall have already served out his original sentence, or when he shall complete it after reaching the said age unless his conduct makes him unworthy of clemency.

 

Duterte has promised to kill drug lords, saying they no longer deserve to live for destroying the country and the youth.

 

More than 400 people have been killed in the government’s anti-drug operations, alarming human rights advocates who believe that the law enforcement operations may be used to justify extralegal killings.

 

During his first State of the Nation Address last July 25, Duterte said the anti-drug campaign won’t stop until the last drug personality is punished,

 

"There will be no let-up in this campaign. Double your efforts. Triple them, if need be. We will not stop until the last drug lord, the last financier and the last pusher have surrendered or put behind bars or below the ground if they so wish," he said.