Palace clarifies Duterte’s assurance to cops isn’t blanket condonation of all criminal acts

March 31, 2017

Malacanang clarified on Friday that President Rodrigo Duterte's assurance he would pardon the policemen who would be convicted for killing drug suspects was not a blanket condonation.

"Let's frame it in a different way, okay. His statement cannot, you know, you cannot take it as a condonation, as a blanket condonation of criminal acts," said Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella in a press briefing.

In his previous speeches, Duterte said he is responsible for his orders to the police and military to make sure illegal drugs would stop.

He has said he would not allow any policeman or soldier to go to jail for following his orders. If he needs to pardon all of them, he would do it, he said.

Because of his war on drugs, over 7,000 people have allegedly been killed, under police operations or allegedly perpetrated by vigilantes.

"You know, it is a statement of a superior standing by his own directive regarding specific operations. You know, it’s not a blanket condonation," Abella said.

He said those policemen who would be charged of any crime will be entitled to due process.

"On the other hand, the police who otherwise commit criminal acts are going to be underpinned of investigation and, but they will be entitled to their own due process. So legal procedures would be strictly observed without presidential intervention," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS