Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte made a remarkable appearance at a senate inquiry this week, where he openly acknowledged the existence of a "death squad" while he was mayor of Davao City. He defended his controversial actions and the policies implemented during his presidency, which is estimated to have resulted in the deaths of between 12,000 and 30,000 individuals in the “war on drugs.” Duterte staunchly refused to apologize, emphasizing that his primary duty was to safeguard the Filipino people, and maintained a tough stance against the senators questioning his leadership.
Throughout the hearing, Duterte’s demeanor was that of defiance, often using harsh language as he communicated with senators. He insisted that he did not condone police brutality, instead claiming that he told law enforcement to only respond with force in self-defense. Despite his claims, he did admit to having a death squad composed of "gangsters," which operated without police affiliation, to eliminate other criminals while he served as mayor.
Duterte further elaborated that he instructed officers to provoke criminals into resisting arrest, thereby justifying lethal force against them. His remarks raised eyebrows among human rights observers, particularly as allegations regarding police incentives for extrajudicial killings surfaced, suggesting officers could be financially rewarded based on the number of kills. Critics have expressed skepticism about the inquiry process, deeming it a political tactic by Duterte's allies in the senate, likely aimed at countering accusations of his administration's violent approach to drug enforcement.
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