Duterte ‘not serious’ on EJKs remark, says Palace

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte was “not serious” when he said that extrajudicial killings, or the unlawful executions of suspected drug personalities in the country, are his “only sin,” Malacañang said on Friday, September 28.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. reiterated that the public should not take Duterte’s remarks literally, stressing that the Chief Executive was merely “being playful” with his words.

Duterte’s latest statement was his way of saying that he is not corrupt, the Palace official said.

“Alam mo naman si Presidente, hindi naman iyan seryoso ‘no. Sinasabi lang niya iyan kasi nga palaging sinasabi iyan ang ginagawa niya. Pero it’s also dinidiin lang niya na talagang hindi siya nagnanakaw. I don’t think na ang konteksto niyan ay literal,” he said in a radio interview.

(You know the President. He’s not serious when he said that. He merely said that because he’s accused of doing that. But what he wants to emphasize is that he does not pocket any public’s funds. I don’t think the context of his latest statement is literal.)

“That’s the President being himself, being playful... highlighting the point na hindi siya (that he is not) corrupt,” he added.

Speaking before newly-appointed career government officials on Thursday, September 27, Duterte seemed to have confessed that he orchestrated extrajudicial killings of alleged drug suspects amid the brutal crackdown of his government on illicit drug trade.

The President, however, said there was no evidence to implicate him in the deaths of over 4,000 suspected drug offenders, and linked “ninja cops” to be behind the killings.

“Anong kasalanan ko? Nagnanakaw ba ako diyan ni piso? Did I prosecute somebody na ipinakulong ko? Ang kasalanan ko lang ‘yung mga extrajudicial killing (What is my sin? Did I steal even a peso? Did I prosecute somebody I ordered arrested? My only sin is extrajudicial killings),” Duterte said in a speech delivered at Malacañan Palace.

“Four thousand deaths. When? Where? How? What did I use? Wala. Basta ‘yung lahat nang namatay diyan (None. All those who were killed)... I know that there are policemen [who], ito ‘yung mga ninja na ano (are ninja cops). And they are the ones killing,” he added.

From July 1, 2016 to August 31, 2018, a total of 4,854 alleged drug personalities have been killed since Duterte waged the war on illegal drugs, according to the government’s Real Numbers PH.

The death toll on the deadly drug war was attributed to the killings during a legitimate police operations and executions by so-called vigilante groups.

Duterte’s critics slammed his supposed public admission of crimes.

But Roque said Duterte’s statement was not an act of admission.

“In the first place, hindi naman iyan isang sinumpaang salaysay. So paano sasabihing selfincriminating iyan? Hindi po (In the first place, that is not a sworn statement. So how can you say that is self-incriminating? No, it’s not),” Duterte’s mouthpiece said.(SunStar Philippines)