Escudero denounces Duterte order on ‘nanlaban’ suspects

Former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte at the Senate hearing on his administration’s war on drugs on Monday, October 28, 2024  (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis Escudero on Tuesday denounced former president Rodrigo Duterte’s admission that he ordered his policemen to “encourage suspected criminals to fight back” so that they could be “killed,” stressing that a civilized society does not operate in such a manner. 

Escudero, at the Kapihan sa Senado forum, emphasized the importance of observing due process. 

“A civilized society does not operate that way and I believe that we are a civilized society,” said Escudero, reacting to Duterte’s claim.

Citing the Bill of Rights under the Philippine Constitution, Escudero emphasized that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, and property without due process of law. 

Prior to this, Escudero said he and Duterte were sharing opposing views.“Ngayon, uulitin ko, klaro magkaiba kami ng pananaw at marahil magkaiba ng pananaw at marahil magkaiba ng pananaw sa marami sa ating kababayan. Mahirap man, mabagal man, mabigat man [ay] trabaho ng gobyernong tiyaking nasusundan ang tinatawag nating due process,” he said.

(Now, I will repeat, it is clear that we share opposing views and maybe I also share opposing views with most of my fellow Filipinos. But even if it’s hard and difficult, it is the government’s duty to ensure that due process is followed.)

Duterte, during the Senate’s public hearing held Monday, said he would take “full legal, moral responsibility” for his administration’s bloody war on drugs which resulted in the deaths of thousands of drug suspects.

Pressed to elaborate on why Duterte made such a bold remark, Escudero said this might be the first step to taking full responsibility for his actions.

“Unang hakbang marahil yun para sa pagkakaroon ng responsibilidad kaugnay sa bagay na yan,” he said. 

(Maybe that’s the first step to taking responsibility regarding that matter.)

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency listed 6,252 deaths in anti-illegal drugs operations from July 1, 2016, to May 31, 2022.

But a 2017 year-end report attributed to the Office of the President listed more than 20,000 dead in the first 17 months alone of the Duterte administration.