Duterte admits to planting evidence as Davao mayor, calls it ‘strategy’

MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte has admitted to planting evidence on a suspected criminal when he was the mayor of Davao City “as part of their strategy.”

Duterte said this to quad committee co-chairman and Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez during the mega panel’s 11th hearing on the former chief executive’s brutal war on drugs.

READ: Excess campaign funds used for drug war reward system, Duterte admits

“Hindi po totoo ‘yung nasa video (Was what you said in the video not true)?” Fernandez asked after playing a 2016 televised interview of the former president.

“Totoo yan (It’s true),” Duterte said upon seeing the video.

He added that it was part of his “strategy as a mayor and as the leader of a law enforcement agency in the city.”

Before this confession, however, Duterte denied such claims, calling it “garbage.”

“That’s illegal. I was teaching them (policemen) criminal law,” the former president said.

Earlier, Duterte admitted to Fernandez that his excess campaign funds were used for the reward system of police officers during his administration’s brutal war on drugs.

During a previous hearing, retired police colonel Royina Garma revealed that rewards given to police officers and officials involved in drug war operations under the “Davao template” ranged from P20,000 to P1 million.

Based on reports, Duterte’s brutal drug war left at least 6,000 people dead.

READ: Duterte dares ICC to begin probe immediately: ‘Baka mamatay na ako’ 

However, data from human rights watchdog Karapatan showed that the former chief executive should be held accountable for the extrajudicial killings of 30,000 individuals allegedly involved in drugs.