‘Palace respects ombud’

President Rodrigo Duterte, being the country’s Chief Executive, wants to assume “command responsibility” for the actions of the police and the military related to the government war on drugs and martial law in Mindanao, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Saturday.

However, Abella clarified that the President respects the independence of the Office of the Ombudsman chaired by Conchita Carpio Morales.

Abella said the President is only requesting that he should be first informed before investigating any errant members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

“The Executive recognizes and respects the constitutional mandate of the Ombudsman to investigate public officials,” Abella said in a statement.

“The President requests that investigations of members of the PNP and the AFP related to the performance of their duties in the government’s anti-drug campaign or while Mindanao is under martial law be addressed to him. He assumes command responsibility for the actions of his men as Commander-in-Chief or Chief Executive,” he added.

Morales said Friday that no law mandates her office to seek the President’s clearance first before she could be allowed to conduct an investigation of the crimes perpetrated by a policeman or a soldier.

During his second State of the Nation Address (Sona) last Monday, Duterte said Morales should refrain from citing the state forces in contempt because he had the “final say whether they will attend or not.”