Duterte apologizes for lapses in drug matrix

Presscon of PRRD after inspection in Arayat, Pampanga shabu lab. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / JOAN BONDOC

ARAYAT, Pampanga—President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday publicly apologized to some incumbent and former government officials he earlier linked to illegal drugs.

“I would like to apologize publicly. I am sorry,” he said during an inspection of a shabu laboratory here.

Duterte was referring to former Pangasinan Gov. and now Rep. Amado Espino, board member Raul Sison and former Pangasinan provincial administrator Raffy Baraan.

READ: Duterte matrix out; tags De Lima, ex-Pangasinan gov, others

The names Espino, Sison and Baraan were implicated when Duterte released a drug matrix accusing Sen. Leila de Lima as the protector of drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison.

READ: Duterte: Matrix to show De Lima link to Bilibid drugs

He said he reviewed the list and revalidated it and found a missing link implicating the three individuals.

But the President said nothing was wrong with his drug matrix, only that there were “lapses.”

“Nothing went wrong. Everybody were correct. (But) there were lapses,” he said during the preas briefing.

“I take full responsibility (for the lapses),” he added. RAM