MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday said President Rodrigo Duterte’s ‘shoot to kill’ threat against members of leftist groups who challenge the government and violators of quarantine rules should not be taken literally.
“I don’t think literal ang order ng Pangulo na pag may nag-violate, barilin mo eh. Kaya nga tayo may enhanced quarantine to protect people,” Cayetano said in his virtual presser.
Duterte earlier warned members of leftist groups that he would not hesitate to have them shot after a number of protesters demanding food and other assistance were arrested in Quezon City for staging a rally without a permit amid the enhanced community quarantine now being enforced in Luzon.
But Cayetano said the public should also look at the context of Duterte’s pronouncements.
“‘Yung context ng pagkasabi ng Pangulo is that sumunod kayo sa quarantine, I will not tolerate violence. But of course ang shoot to kill ang ibig sabihin nun when he was talking about it is that if they resist or magri-riot sila o sugurin nila yung pulis diba?” Cayetano said.
“Kasi ang general order naman ng pulis is maximum tolerance pero pag tumigas ang ulo at hindi talaga sumunod sa quarantine ay aarestuhin. E ngayon, kung ayaw magpa-aresto at agri-riot ka then there is a level of response that PNP will have to do,” the House Speaker added.
Cayetano added that Duterte only made the pronouncement because the President “cares for the general public.”
“So maging realistic din po tay na totoo, dapat walang pulitika pero the reality is there are forces out there who are out to get the government,” Cayetano said.