Drug blot on Duterte’s son, kin
Philippines Prez’s son, son-in-law accused of smuggling drugs from China
Manila, Sept. 7: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s son and son-inlaw denied allegations on Thursday that they belonged to a drug trafficking gang with the explosive claims raising questions about the government’s bloody antinarcotics crackdown.
Mr Duterte came to power last year promising to wage a brutal and unprecedented war on drugs. Since then, police have killed around 3,800 suspects in anti-narcotics operations, while thousands of other people have been murdered in unexplained circumstances.
His son Paolo Duterte and son-in-law Manases Carpio appeared at a Senate inquiry on Thursday to answer accusations that they helped facilitate the shipment of crystal methamphetamine worth 6.4 billion pesos ($125.4 million) into the Philippines from China in exchange for payment.
The allegations emerged last month when a customs broker told the Senate panel that he had heard the names of Duterte’s son and son-inlaw mentioned while seeking to expedite the shipment.
The broker later issued a statement clearing the two men of involvement.
But Opposition senator Antonio Trillanes at the inquiry accused Duterte’s son of belonging to a drug trafficking gang, saying the 42-year-old had a tattoo on his back, resembling a dragon, that was “proof... of his membership” in the gang.
Paolo Duterte, vicemayor of the southern city of Davao, told the panel that he had a tattoo but said he could not answer allegations based on hearsay.