Duterte: Don’t blame me, Bato; drug suspects killing each other

President Rodrigo Duterte and Philippine National Police chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa (INQUIRER PHOTOS)

Drug syndicates are killing each other, according to the President.

President Rodrigo Duterte has said there is a “silencing stage” among syndicates and policemen involved in the illegal narcotics trade.

“Did it ever occur to you that there was a silencing stage? Mostly sila-sila lang (it’s just them),” Duterte told policemen during a speech in General Santos City on Friday.

“Pero ang patay lahat tinatapon nila kay Bato, sa akin, sa police (But they’re blaming the deaths on Bato, me, the police). Then how stupid can you really get?” he added, referring to Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.

Duterte said some high-ranking police officials were involved in the illegal drug trade, admitting that there had been illegitimate police actions on his war against drugs.

“Sino ang nagpatay? May mga patay, marami illegitimate police action. Sabihin ito sa mga p***** i** bantay sila sa akin pagpunta nila dito. Hindi ba nila alam na pati mga police generals at police involved? At lahat iyong pinatay—nagpatayan sila because unahan na sila kasi these guys will be the killers,” he said.

He mentioned the names of retired officials Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo and Chief Supt. Vicente Loot, saying they were protectors of drug lords. The two retired police officials had been included in Duterte’s drug list.

“Nagpapatayan sila kung sino ang pumiyait (squeal) kay Garbo, sino ang pumiyait kay Loot?” he said.

The Chief Executive again slammed critics on his crackdown on illegal drugs.

“Why do you attribute all the killings in Manila to the police and me when as a matter of fact there are gangsters including the police generals?” he said.

Amid the spate of killings of drug suspects wrapped in sacks or plastics, Duterte said the police were not ordered to mummify drug syndicates.

“Iyong unang birada, binabalot ng plaster, sabi ko, ‘that is not the job of the police to make mummies, sa Egypt lang iyon. Bakit mag-ganoon? Magsayang-sayang ng panahon,” Duterte said.

“Why would we waste our time wrapping a body with—to make mummies out of those—kaya ako galit,” he added.

“Marumi raw ang bunganga ko, kasi tarantado kayo. You know why you get a retort from me that is really bullshit? Because you are also bullshitting us nga hindi pa nga nila alam kung sino ang nagpapatayan,” he said.

Duterte has slammed human rights groups, the United Nations, the European Union and even the United States for criticizing his no-nonsense war against illegal drugs.