Duterte says he will never apologize for drug war fatalities
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte remained firm in his stance that he will never apologize for the fatalities brought by his administration’s bloody war on drugs.
“Pero ‘yan ang sabi ko: I will never, never apologize for the death of those bastards. Patayin mo ako, kulungin mo ako, p***** i**, I will never apologize,” he said during his weekly address to the nation aired late Tuesday.
(That’s what I said: I will never, never apologize for the death of those bastards. Kill me, imprison me, I will never apologize.)
“Ano ang pangako ko? Law and order. Drugs, sabi ko, mag-focus ako sa drugs,” the president pointed out.
(What is my promise? Law and order. Drugs, I said, I will focus on drugs.)
Duterte likewise shared that he is helping the military and the police who are facing charges in line with their conduct of duties.
“Kagaya ng human rights, abay kayo, kayo sa baba. Try being the policeman. Hindi madali, tapos mademanda pa ‘yung mga pulis. Marami diyan nademanda sa ano,” he said.
(Human rights, be on the ground. It is not easy, and policemen will face charges.)
“So I’m helping them. Every military or police officer who is facing charges for a crime connected with the performance of his duties, tinutulungan ko (I’m helping them)… without exception,” added Duterte.
Moreover, the chief executive reiterated that he does not recognize the International Criminal Court (ICC), whose pre-trial chamber authorized the probe into the war on drugs.
In November last year, however, the ICC suspended its drug war investigation while the prosecution “assesses the scope and effect” of the government’s deferral request.
“If I go to jail, I go to Bilibid. Pilipino ako eh (I’m Filipino). If there is somebody who would try me, it should be a judge who is a Filipino because I’m a Filipino. Kung may prosecutor man mag-prosecute sa akin (If a prosecutor would prosecute me), it should be the fiscal because I am a Filipino,” Duterte reiterated.
In December last year, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said that some 6,000 drug suspects have been killed in the war on drugs since Duterte took office.
