Duterte says DOJ yet to file case against him despite killings

Former president Rodrigo Duterte said Monday that it he is wondering why the Department of Justice has not yet filed criminal charges against him, saying that he has been killing people for a long time.

“Nagtataka ako hanggang ngayon ang Justice department, hindi pa nag-file ng kaso hanggang ngayon. Katagal na, katagal ko na... matagal na akong pumapatay ng tao, hanggang ngayon, hindi pa sila nagfa-file ng kaso?” Duterte said during Day 1 of the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee probe on the drug war.

(I am so puzzled as to why the Justice department has not yet filed a case. It has been so long...I have been killing for the longest time and until now, there is no case filed against me yet.)

Duterte made the response after Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros called on the DOJ to take note of the former president’s admissions during the Senate probe of ordering killings.

“Huwag na tayo mag-drama dito. Tapusin na natin itong istorya nito rito sa Pilipinas. Kapag inutusan ko itong mga buang na ito, kung anong mangyari, akin ‘yan,” Duterte added.

(Let’s cut the drama. Let’s end this story. If I make an order to these crazies, that’s on me.)

Duterte, however, later clarified that he orders the police to kill criminals.

"Ang ibig kong sabihin patayin niyo ang kriminal. Wala akong sinabi na pumatay kayo ng inosente," Duterte added.

(What I meant was that you should kill criminals. I did not say you should kill innocents.)

Hontiveros also quizzed Duterte on his statement that the police are only authorized to kill those suspects who resist arrest. The government's own tally counts 6,200 people were killed during the police’s anti-drug operations.

She said that if these 6,200 drug suspects resisted and were armed, the guns should be accounted for.

Duterte did not give a categorical answer.

“No, that is, that you're asking somebody, somewhere or to make an accounting which is not possible. Your question cannot be answered here,” he said.

Hontiveros pressed Duterte to elaborate on his previous statement that he will take full legal and moral responsibility for the consequences of the drug war, given that there are unarmed teenagers who were killed by the police in the anti-drug operation such as Kian delos Santos.

Duterte maintained that his hands were clean over the deaths of unarmed teenagers.

“Walang maniwala na abogado sa akin ‘yan (krimen na ‘yan),” Duterte said.

(No lawyer would put that on me.)

Hontiveros reminded Duterte of his 2020 and 2021 comments wherein he said, “If there's killing there, I'm saying I'm the one, you can hold me responsible for anything, any death that has occurred in the execution of the drug war” and that “if there is any person who is going to prison, it would be me. I assume full responsibility.”

“No. Guilt is personal. Magtanong ka muna ng abogado,” Duterte said.

(You should ask a lawyer first.)

Hontiveros then asked if Duterte feels responsible over the deaths of two other unarmed teenagers, Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo de Guzman, who were killed during the police's anti-drug operations.

Duterte asked for a recess and appeared to ask presiding officer Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel to talk to Hontiveros.

Hontiveros called out Duterte for pointing his finger at her, prompting Pimentel to ask Duterte if he was still in the mood to answer questions.

Duterte qualified his answer, saying he was only taking responsibility for the anti-drug war policy of his administration.

“I am talking about the policy. I take full responsibility for the war on drugs. You spoke about specific crimes. Kung sabihin ko, I will take full responsibility. Magdating tayo sa korte, hindi naman tatanggapin ‘yan,” he said.

“You are trying to pin me down,” he added.

"You are pinned down by your own statements," Honiveros countered.

“Do not pin me down on semantics," Duterte said.

The session was suspended and when the hearing resumed, Duterte was excused from the probe.

Duterte and other top officials of the Duterte administration are already being investigated by the International Criminal Court in connection with the alleged commission of crimes against humanity for systematic drug war deaths in police operations during his tenure.

These deaths reached around 6,000 based on police records, but human rights groups contend that the deaths reached as much as 30,000, including vigilante killings, due to Duterte's policy. — BM/NB, GMA Integrated News