De Lima to Duterte: Insult me all you want but I won’t clam up on DDS

A FUMING Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Wednesday said that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte can insult her all he wants but she will not be stopped from talking about summary executions and the Davao Death Squad (DDS).

Earlier, de Lima said Duterte should be held criminally liable for thousands of summary executions in Davao.

The Justice chief issued the statement after Duterte, in a television interview, said that he is the death squad.

But Duterte clarified that Tuesday that his statement was meant to challenge his critics.

“Kasi nag-usap na tayo. I told you hindi ko talaga ginagawa yan kasi abogado ako. Pareho tayo. Gaga ka ba? ” Duterte said.

Duterte added that he could also go personal on the Justice chief. Duterte added that if de Lima files a case against him, he will waive preliminary investigation on the condition that de Lima will execute an affidavit.

“I would love to cross examine her,” Duterte said.

Duterte added that de Lima has the tenacity of accusing him of extra judicial killing when she failed in cleaning her own backyard, specifically the New Bilibid Prison.

“I’m the only local official talking against drugs and you have the gall to say I’m killing the criminals, while you fatten them in and out of prison. What are you doing to the criminals in this country? Answer me,” he said.

But de Lima said: “He can continue to insult and vilify me for all I care.”

“I cannot be threatened and cowed by anyone! I will not stop saying what I want and need to say on the issue of summary executions, in general, and on DDS, in particular,” de Lima added. AC