Palace unfazed over possible raps vs Duterte in 2022

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang remains unfazed over possible cases that may be filed against President Rodrigo Duterte once his term ends in 2022.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo issued the statement after the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said they would file charges against Duterte in international and local courts after the President steps down from office.

READ: NUPL will file cases vs Duterte in 2022

“It’s a free country. Everyone is entitled to file any case against whomsoever they think that has violated the law and let the courts decide the validity of such complaint,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

NUPL national chairperson Neri Colmenares said they would also file civil cases against Duterte for the so0-called extrajudicial killings under his brutal war on drugs.

Asked if Duterte is worried about the possible cases he might face once he loses his immunity as President, the Palace official said: “The only worry that the President has is the sufferings of the people. That’s why he does a lot of things to make lives comfortable for them.”

Duterte has gained international condemnation for his crackdown on illegal drugs – labeled as drug war – which so far has killed at least 5,000 mostly poor people nationwide. /kga