Duterte to cops: I’ll protect you, just don’t shit with me
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday reiterated that he would protect and side with the police amid the government’s war on drugs and criminality as long as they remained truthful to him.
“I had to believe the story of the police because they are my subordinates and I am responsible for their deeds… Ako yung chief (I’m the chief)… What [they] do is my ultimate responsibility,” Duterte said in his speech during the 80th founding anniversary of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Manila.
“Alangan namang maniwala ako doon sa mga p***. Sino paniwalaan ko, ‘yung mga pulis ko, NBI ko, o sila (It would be ridiculous if I believe those fools. Whom should I believe, my police, NBI or them)?” he added.
Duterte was alluding to the events that led to killing of Albuera Mayor Ronaldo Espinosa Sr. inside a Leyte jail, which some senators tagged as “premeditated.” The President earlier said he believed the police version of the incident.
READ: Lacson: Espinosa slay premeditated
“Let me state my case as the chief executive of the executive branch: I believe in the version of the police,” Duterte said upon arriving from Malaysia last Friday. “If they have evidence to prove otherwise, then a case should be filed against the police.”
READ: Duterte believes police version of Espinosa jail killing
Duterte assured policemen that they have nothing to worry about as long as they are telling the truth and fulfilling their mandate.
“If you do your duty you don’t have to worry, I will believe your story. I will protect you. Just tell me the truth so I know how to present the truth to the public. Just do not shit with me. Sabihin mo sa akin ang totoo lalo na sa trabaho (Tell me the truth especially about work). Don’t go into extortion and kidnapping under my term. You do it, patayin kita (I will kill you),” he said.
“I believe the police because they are my subordinates—people whom I ordered to operate. Kaya eto sila, poprotektahan ko (So here they are, I would protect them). Kaya (So) if somebody has to go jail, it has to be me. I will assume full legal responsibility,” Duterte added.
Espinosa was the second mayor killed in Duterte’s “narcolist” of politicians following the death of Datu Saudi Ampatuan Mayor Samsudin Dimaukom in a police clash last month.
Espinosa was shot in his jail cell with another inmate for allegedly fighting it out with policemen who were serving them search warrants for firearms and illegal drugs. RAM/rga
