Philippine ex-Pres. Duterte says he kept a `death squad' as mayor to kill criminals

MANILA, Philippines -- Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte told a Senate enquiry Monday that he had maintained a “death squad” of gangsters to termination different criminals erstwhile he was politician of a confederate Philippine city.

Duterte, however, denied authorizing constabulary to weapon down thousands of suspects successful a bloody crackdown connected forbidden narcotics he had ordered arsenic president and which is nan taxable of an investigation by nan International Criminal Court arsenic a imaginable crime against humanity.

Duterte, 79, attended nan televised enquiry successful his first nationalist quality since his word ended successful 2022. The Senate is looking into nan supplier killings nether Duterte, which were unprecedented successful their standard successful caller Philippine history.

Duterte acknowledged without elaborating that he erstwhile maintained a decease squad of 7 “gangsters” to woody pinch criminals erstwhile he was nan longtime Davao metropolis mayor, earlier he became president.

“I tin make nan confession now if you want,” Duterte said. “I had a decease squad of seven, but they were not policemen, they were besides gangsters.”

“I’ll inquire a gangster to termination somebody,” Duterte said. “If you will not termination (that person), I will termination you now.”

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, who was overseeing nan inquiry, and Sen. Risa Hontiveros, pressed Duterte to supply much specifications but nan erstwhile president responded successful unclear position and said he would explicate further successful nan adjacent hearing.

Often cursing during nan hearing, Duterte said he would return afloat work for nan killings that happened while he was president from 2016 to 2022. But he said he ne'er ordered his nationalist constabulary chiefs, who besides attended nan inquiry, to undertake extrajudicial killings.

"Did I ever show you to termination immoderate criminal?” Duterte asked his erstwhile constabulary chiefs. They included Ronald Dela Rosa, nan existent legislator who first enforced Duterte's run against forbidden narcotics arsenic his nationalist constabulary chief.

"No, Mr. president,” dela Rosa responded.

Aside from nan International Criminal Court’s ongoing investigation, location person been nary known criminal complaints revenge against Duterte successful Philippine courts complete nan killings.

“I’m puzzled why nan Justice Department hasn’t revenge immoderate case,” Duterte said. “I’ve been sidesplitting group for a agelong clip and they haven’t revenge immoderate lawsuit up to now?"

Former Sen. Leila de Lima, 1 of nan astir vocal critics of Duterte who erstwhile investigated nan supplier killings successful Davao, said location was capable grounds and witnesses of nan extrajudicial killings but they were frightened of testifying against Duterte erstwhile he was successful power.

De Lima was arrested early on successful Duterte’s presidency connected supplier charges she said were fabricated to extremity her from proceeding pinch her Senate investigation. She was cleared of nan charges and released from much than six years of detention past year.

"This man, nan erstwhile politician of Davao metropolis and nan erstwhile president of nan Republic of nan Philippines, for truthful agelong has evaded justness and accountability,” said de Lima, sitting adjacent nan erstwhile president.

"We person not made him to relationship aft each these years,” she said, and added that witnesses could now aboveground and thief prosecute Duterte and his associates.

Arturo Lascanas, a retired constabulary officer who served nether Duterte for galore years successful a portion fighting heinous crime successful Davao, told The Associated Press successful an question and reply successful 2022 that arsenic galore arsenic 10,000 suspects whitethorn person been killed successful Davao metropolis connected orders of Duterte and nan erstwhile mayor’s cardinal aides, including him.

Lascanas, who has gone into hiding abroad, said he had provided his grounds and different grounds to nan International Criminal Court.

Duterte's associates whitethorn person removed nan remains of nan ample number of victims buried successful a quarry tract successful Davao metropolis but Lascanas said nan remains of immoderate victims who were buried elsewhere by his group of policemen could still beryllium retrieved and utilized arsenic cardinal grounds against nan erstwhile leader and others.

Duterte sounded defiant done nan hearing.

"If I’m fixed different chance, I’ll swipe each of you,” Duterte said of supplier dealers and criminals, who he added had resumed their criminal actions aft he stepped down from nan presidency.

One of Asia’s astir unorthodox modern leaders, Duterte ended his turbulent six-year word successful June 2022, closing retired much than 3 decades successful nan country’s often-rowdy politics, wherever he built a governmental sanction for his expletives-laced outbursts and disdain for quality authorities and nan West while reaching retired to China and Russia.

Activists regarded him arsenic “a quality authorities calamity” not only for nan wide deaths nether his alleged warfare connected narcotics but besides for his brazen attacks connected captious media, nan ascendant Catholic religion and governmental opposition.