Duterte meets parents of Carl Arnaiz, vows to pursue case vs cops

President Rodrigo Duterte met on Wednesday with the parents of slain teenager Carl Angelo Arnaiz in Malacañang and promised to pursue the case against the police officers who killed the former student of the University of the Philippines.

The President said that he would “never, never, never condone” the killing of innocent civilians.

He then ordered Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to take over the investigation of the killing of 19-year-old Arnaiz, whom the police accused of mugging a taxi driver.

Aguirre has already directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to open an investigation.

In a speech at the Social Security System’s (SSS) 60th anniversary celebration in Quezon City, Duterte said: “You do not kill defenseless persons. I’m sorry but I will pursue the case against the police and, if need be, they should go to jail.”

The President went straight to the SSS main office after meeting with the slain teenager’s parents, Carlito and Eva Arnaiz, at the Malago Clubhouse at Malacañang Park.

PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

The Arnaiz family requested the meeting, which lasted about 20 minutes.

Also present in the meeting were Aguirre, Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta, and special assistant to the president Christopher “Bong” Go.

In his speech at the SSS main office, the President said he was against extrajudicial killings and vowed to send to jail those behind them.

“Of course, we do not like it,” he said. “And if you are into it, I’ll see to it you’ll go to jail. I might even be the one to shoot you. I’ve said that we will protect soldiers and the policemen, no doubt. But always, there has to be the element of the performance of duty.”

‘Children and elderly’

He clarified that there was no order to kill innocent civilians.

“I did not order you [police] to kill children or the elderly, or even the enemy on bended knees,” he said. “That is not the norm or the rule of a democracy.”

Duterte said he would “never, never, never condone” the systematic killing of innocent civilians.

“You saw a lot of it during the Serbian war,” he said. “They massacred almost all the people there… I would never, never, never condone or allow it.”

The President said he had committed “mistakes,” but his administration’s bloody war against drugs, which has drawn local and international condemnation, would stay “sans … extrajudicial killings.”

“I have mistakes. Faults? Many,” he said. “But this (war against) drugs will stay … if I do not control drugs, I will, you know, put the next generation in jeopardy.”

On Tuesday, presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella assured the public that there would be no whitewash in the investigation and that those who would be found responsible for the killing would be held accountable. /atm