President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. ACE MORANDANTE/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday ordered the police and military to “reasses” their operations related to the government’s war on drugs and criminality.
Duterte made the remark after three police officers involved in the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos were found guilty of murder by a Caloocan City Regional Trial Court (RTC).
“Kayong mga human rights, give me a good reason why I should not declare war on you. Sinabi ko naman sa pulis, huwag kayong mag abuso. You can kill them legally, and why do you have to kill them illegally? If you are there, in the performance of your duty and there is only one instance where you can kill, really kill a person, whether a criminal or whatnot, is that your life is in danger in the performance of duty,” he said in a speech during the Christmas Tree-lighting ceremony in Malacañang.
“Kaya mga pulis, mga military, kindly reassess the, marami kasing, maraming pulis nasabit. Why do you have to kill them illegally?” he said.
“We can always corner them, find out if they have committed the shabu act of trafficking, tapos nagbigay-bigay sila diyan, pahuli. And if he resists arrests violently, you’re free to kill them. So bakit ka maghanap ng panahon na iba illegal? I’m also, I’m really at a loss on how to explain.”
“Sige patayin mo, but they go to school two years, basic ‘yan, and its founded on their brain na what self-defense, fulfillment of duty, defense of relatives. Alam nila ‘yan,” he added.
But Duterte reiterated there would be no remission in his administration’s brutal war against illegal drugs.
“[B]ut there is no let up just because you policemen kill somebody. There will never be a let up in the campaign against drugs and the killing will continue for as long there are people who resist arrest and fight it out,” he said. “That is my order and it will be until I leave the premises of this place. It will be. I don’t care about tomorrow.” /kga