PRRD to let independent agencies investigate Pulong, Mans

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he would rather let independent agencies to look into the smuggling allegations hurled against his son Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and son-in-law lawyer Manases "Mans" Carpio rather than himself.

“Who would believe me if I investigate my son and my son-in-law?” he told reporters on Tuesday night upon his arrival in Davao City from a threeday trip in Japan.

Duterte said he would allow independent agencies, such as Commission on Human Rights and National Bureau of Investiga- tion (NBI), to investigate claims that his son and son-in-law were involved in the smuggling activities at the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

“I leave it to the independent agencies. There’s the Human Rights [Commission], which [is] making all the lies... And I leave everybody to decide what is right for this country,” he added.

The President was asked for his reaction to detained Senator Leila de Lima statement, which urged him to investigate the “drug smugglers [who] are living right inside his own

should instead probe his son and son- in- law rather than focus on his political rivals, particularly the members from opposition Liberal Party like Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and former Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, who were both linked to illicit drugs trade.

“Why would you order [ Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II] to investigate Drilon and Roxas, if your own son Paolo is connected to tons of smuggled shabu, along with your son- inlaw?” the feisty senator said in a statement on Monday.

The presidential son and son- in- law were tagged by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to the so- called "Davao Group,” which is purportedly behind the smuggling activities at BOC.

The two, however, denied the allegations during the recent Senate blue ribbon committee inquiry into the P6.4- billion worth of shabu smuggled from China. SunStar Philippines