What Duterte said and what he actually meant

“I DON’T CARE IF THE NBI SAYS IT’S MURDER. BOTH NBI AND DOJ ARE UNDER ME.”

WHAT PRESIDENT DUTERTE SAID “I will not allow these guys (police who killed Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.) to go to prison.

I don’t care if the NBI says it’s murder. Anyway, the NBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) are both under my authority.

“I will be the one to Answer for it and go to prison. I have no problem with that. When I was young, I went in and out of prison, I’m used to it.”

What does that mean? President Duterte would (1) take personal responsibility for the crime and wouldn’t (2) have the erring cops jailed.

On #1, he may only be impeached and tried but that’s remote since his coalition controls Congress and he can’t be prosecuted during his term, only after it expires in 2022 or he resigns or is evicted by impeachment. If he admits he was the mastermind, the cops would still be liable as principals by direct participation.

On #2, he cannot lawfully stop the prosecution. The DOJ with which the complaint against the cops was filed and the FBI that ruled the killing was a rubout are under his thumb.

In the same statement, however, Duterte said he wouldn’t interfere: “I do not interfere. They have a finding. Good. Then you file a case. But I will not abandon these policemen because it was my order...”

He wouldn’t have the cops go to prison but he wouldn’t interfere? How would he pull it off?

WHAT HE MUST HAVE MEANT

As Sen. Ping Lacson anticipated, as also earlier advised by PDut himself and his communicators, the president must have meant something else. So wait for the clarification or translation. And it came, just hours after Duterte’s utterances:

“It should not be misinterpreted to mean that the president will intervene in investigations on every legal proceeding in order to exculpate erring cops.

“What should be understood is the very clear statement of the president that while he continues to adhere to the presumption of the regularity in PNP’s performance of its duties, he states in no uncertain terms that he will not interfere with any legal proceeding that will be brought against some of the members of the police...”

Senator Ping was right. Wait for the clarification.