FORMER President Rodrigo Duterte has denied the existence of a reward system for police officers who killed drug suspects during his administration’s controversial war on drugs
“Walang pulis na papasok na ganon. Makukulong sila (No cop would agree to it, they face jail time). Why would they accept that kind of agreement when it will later on bring their downfall? Walang reward ‘yan. Hindi ako nagbibigay ng reward (I don’t give out any reward),” he said during a Sonshine Media News International program.
Duterte also said he never ordered the police to kill individuals involved in illegal drugs without due cause.
“Ito talaga ang order ko sa kanila. Hanapin mo at arestuhin ninyo kung saan ninyo. Bring them to me, pero pagka-lumaban at nakita ninyo na ang sarili niyong buhay ay mapalagay sa alanganin, patayin ninyo, kasi ayaw kong makita ang pulis ko ang mamatay kaysa sa kriminal (if they fight back and you see your life in danger, kill them because I don’t want to see my police officers getting killed than a criminal)” he said.
Recently, former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chief Royina Garma bared to the House Quad Committee details related to the reported cash reward system for extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during the Duterte administration.
Garma said Duterte replicated the ‘Davao model,’ which allegedly gave police financial rewards for killing drug suspects.
Duterte said he would face the quad comm to address the allegations against him. “It’s all about me, eh ‘di ako na lang (so why not me alone?)”
