Duterte admits extrajudicial killings in Davao City going on for a long time

May 11, 2019

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday admitted that extrajudicial killings have been occurring in Davao City for a long time.

"So even in the matter of the elements of progress, Davao is in the forefront and only because we decided, that you have to understand me, because extrajudicial killing has been going on for a long time," Duterte said in his speech at Hugpong ng Pagbabago-Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod miting de avance in Davao City.

"The people who can't stomach it are not from Davao because those who are from Davao would understand. But the ones who can't understand are the bishops and the elitists in Manila," he added.

The President also defended that his hometown is a disciplined place despite the killings.

"Look at Davao, are there illegal drugs, killings and robbery? None. Why? We killed bad people. The policemen survived. If a cop dies, I would say, 'why did you die when you have a gun? Why did you let them kill you?'" Duterte said.

Duterte said he is ready to defend those policemen "as long as [they] did it in the line of duty." He said no policeman was imprisoned in Davao due to the killings.

"I'm not the one who gives orders. I would just tell you to arrest them and if they surrender, kill them. But arrest them all and destroy the organization of drugs," he said.

At least two complaints against Duterte have been filed before the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity due to the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country.

When he assumed office in 2016, Dutrete declared an all-out war against illegal drugs. Since then, over 5,000 individuals have already been killed in the police anti-drug operations. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS