“I am not the court. Why should I give you due process?”
So said President Rodrigo Duterte after being criticized for not giving due process to police generals accused of being involved in the illegal drugs trade.
“Anong due process? Due process, ulol. Kung nasa korte ka na (and you say you were) not given by the President, due process. Hindi ako korte. Why should I give you due process?” Duterte said during a speech on Thursday night.
“I cannot give you a lawyer. I cannot handle a proceeding or proceedings against you,” he added.
The President was at the testimonial dinner held in his honor at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City.
He said his decision to reveal the names of the officials involved in the drugs trade before any investigation was part of his “sacred duty to tell the Filipino the state of things in this country and simply the truth, period.”
The President said if he would be forced to explain about due process, he said in jest, “Tawagin ko kayo sa Malacañang? Murahin ko kayo doon? Tapos barilin ko kayo? Huwag. Due process, due process, hingiin mo ‘yan sa korte.”
The rise of killings of suspected drug killers under the Duterte administration has drawn criticisms from the public, who say suspects must be given due process./rga
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