MANILA, Philippines — Former president Rodrigo Duterte wants all police officers involved in illegal drugs dead, saying he sees no reason to allow them to live.
“Shoot them dead. Why allow them due process? What for? Look at what has been happening. Bato has been talking for hours on TV. Still, until now, it’s all investigation. That’s how long it’s going to take, because that’s how the law requires it,” Duterte said, referring to Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who heads the inquiry on the 990-kilo shabu haul supposedly involving ranking police officers.
Duterte acknowledged that the police helped him restore public order and safety in Davao City, but he wants those involved in illegal drugs dead.?
“I love the police, but you know this is a difficult problem. I have said it before… the best way to deal with these kinds of lawmen: kill them. No need for court proceedings, just kill them,” he said. “I do 1not find any redeeming factor in them. Why should I let them live?... due to sympathy to their families? Would it be a redeeming factor? I don’t see any.”
Duterte made the statement over his program Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa, wherein he told viewers that there are police officers who are not just providing protection to drug dealers, but are into drug dealing themselves.?“You are a police officer, but you get yourself into drugs. You want us, the people, to pay you. From the time you graduated until you reached the situation you are in right now, it’s us, the Filipino people, who feed you and your family. And now you want to make a fool of the Filipinos?”
“I believe there are police officers that are involved in illegal drugs. That’s not just giving protection to the syndicate, but the officers are the syndicate themselves,” he said.?Duterte, a staunch anti-drug advocate, said the Philippine National Police (PNP) is permeated with hoodlums.?“Publicly for the first time, I’m saying to the police and to the government of the Philippines. We have a fractured police force in this country,” he said.?“Many hoodlums have entered the police service, even the colonels and the generals. There are many corrupt officers (in the PNP). Maybe one time I will announce the names of those whom I believe are corrupt and involved in drugs,” Duterte said.?He said police officers who are involved in drugs exist not only in Metro Manila, but are found all over the country, Duterte accused.?“The pernicious effect of drugs in this country is not limited (to certain areas), You might say or think that only generals in Metro Manila are involved. It spreads not in so many numbers, but it can be everywhere,” Duterte said.?He said that since the police themselves are into drug peddling, it would be difficult to catch them.