Duterte says he never killed anyone, 'magtanong ka sa pulis'

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday claimed that he never killed anyone after saying on several occasions during his administration that he had personally taken lives.

Duterte made the statement in a televised address from Malacañang after assuring embattled Health Secretary Francisco Duque III that he would “see to it that the rule of law against a person is followed” amid calls for the health chief’s resignation.

“I have yet to find ‘yung sabi nila na idedemanda si Duque dahil may kasalanan. I have read the filings and for the life of me, I cannot really find a good reason to prosecute an innocent man,” Duterte said.

“Maraming sinasabi ‘Rule of law, hindi ka naman sumusunod. Marami kang pinapatay.’ Wala ho akong pinatay na tao. Never, never. Magtanong ka sa pulis dito sa Pilipinas,” he added.

The President also claimed that he has never ordered anybody to kill.

“I never do that. If I do, I just keep it in my mind because I know that whether I like it or not, there is a war going on. I cannot stop the killing of criminals and the killing of my soldiers and policemen,” Duterte said.

In 2017, Duterte claimed that he had stabbed a person to death when he was 16.

"Rambol dito, rambo—at the age of 16, may pinatay na ako. Tao talaga. Rambol. Saksak. Noong 16 years old iyon, nagkatinginan lang. Eh lalo na ako ngayong presidente na ako. You fuck with my countrymen, 'di kita papalusutin. Bahala na kayong human rights," he said.

A year earlier, Duterte said he used to join police operations and killed criminals as mayor of Davao City to “lead by example.”

"But in Davao I used to do it personally. Just to show to the guys that, if I can do it why can’t you? And I go around in Davao with a motorcycle, with a big bike around and I would just patrol the streets and looking for trouble also. Talagang naghanap ako ng engkwentro para makapatay," he said.

The United Nations high commissioner on human rights has called for investigations into Duterte’s claims of killing people.

In April this year, the President ordered police and military to “shoot [leftists] dead.” -NB, GMA News