Duterte on Napoles: SolGen Calida is right

President Rodrigo Duterte. (Presidential file photo by ACE MORANDANTE)

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he agreed with Solicitor General Jose Calida who is seeking Janet Lim-Napoles’ acquittal in her serious illegal detention case.

“I think it’s right,” he said during a televised ambush interview in Malacañang.

Duterte, who served as prosecutor in Davao City, said he has done something similar in the past. “I myself would move for the dismissal of the case, especially if fabricated, planted evidence.”

Calida earlier said that injustice was done to Napoles when she was arrested for the kidnapping of whistleblower Benhur Luy.

READ: SolGen Calida: Injustice done to Napoles

“The circumstances would show it,” Duterte said. “If you follow the story, the Solicitor General is right.”

“If that was me, I will really dismiss the case,” he said in Filipino. “I will move for the dismissal of the case. Because it is not our job to persecute, it is your job to prosecute rightly. Simple justice.”

However, Duterte said he thinks Napoles has “a lot” to do with the pork barrel scam. RAM/rga