PNP says it will probe Duterte’s alleged ‘death squad’

THERE GOES DECORUM. The nation had a fresh dose of the expletive-laden rants of former President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, as he appeared at the Senate and faced, for the first time since the end of his term, an official body revisiting his bloody war on drugs. — GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines —  The Philippine National Police (PNP) will probe the alleged “death squad” of former President Rodrigo Duterte when he was the mayor of Davao City, according to spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Fajardo said PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil has ordered the “extraction” of data on unsolved drug-related deaths reportedly connected to the death squad.

READ: Duterte admits to having ‘death squad,’ later insists it’s not one

During the Senate hearing on the drug war killings last Monday, Oct. 28, Duterte admitted he organized a seven-man hit squad when he was Davao City mayor, but he did not tap police officers as they might be in a quandary if they got suspended for operations they conducted.

Duterte said the term “death squad” was loosely used. He also revealed that all former PNP chiefs he appointed — now Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, retired police Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao, retired Gen. Archie Gamboa, and retired Gen. Debold Sinas — led the death squad.

But Duterte clarified that he had not ordered the summary killing of anyone, stressing that his directive was to “encourage suspects to fight” so that the police would have a reason to kill them.

Fajardo said the PNP would also probe all information and testimonies from the ongoing investigations of the Senate blue ribbon committee and House of Representatives quad committee.

“The PNP is acting on all revelations, but if you monitored all the statements of the former president, at first, he confirmed the existence of the death squad but took it back later on,” she said.

“But this will not stop the PNP from investigating this case, and he mentioned some names, pointing to some police officials that will be used by the PNP to conduct its investigation,” she added.