President Duterte has dismissed the report of the New York City-based Human Rights Watch and said killing criminals is not a crime against humanity.
Duterte belied HRW’s findings that police are planting evidence to justify their actions at the height of the Philippine National Police “Oplan: Tokhang.”
“If you kill criminals, it is not a crime against humanity. The criminals have no humanity. God damn it,” he said.
The President reiterated that he did not order the police to kill drug suspects but to shoot them if they resist arrest violently or if they feel that their lives are in danger.
Duterte said he cannot be responsible for the victims of the alleged extra judicial killings at the height of Oplan Tokhang but claimed responsibility for the deaths carried out during legitimate operations.
Duterte reiterated that his war against illegal drugs will continue until the last day of his term and assured his critics that more deaths will come as drug suspects really do fight back.
The HRW report titled “License to Kill” claimed in its 125-page report that Duterte can be held liable for the over 7,000 people who died during the war against drugs. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)
