Fact-Checking Duterte’s ‘Shoot-to-Kill’ Order

President Rodrigo Duterte | CMFR file photo.

CHEERS TO VERA Files for fact-checking a Sept. 14 claim by the Philippines representative to the United Nations that President Rodrigo Duterte did not issue orders for the police to “shoot-to-kill” drug suspects.

In “VERA FILES FACT CHECK: No shoot-to-kill order from Duterte?” (Sept. 17), VERA Files looked back to an Aug. 5 interview with the president in Davao where he had said that he would not hesitate to kill narco-politicians. “Kita mo ginawa mo sa Pilipino? Tapos patawarin kita? Kaya my order diyan is shoot-to-kill kayo,” the president said. The transcript of the interview is available online. VERA Files also noted Duterte’s shoot-on-sight order on Albuera town Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. and son Kerwin Espinosa who have both been linked to the illegal drug trade.

This fact-checking piece came after Ambassador Cecilia Rebong, the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, delivered a statement during the second day of the 33^rd Session of the Human Rights Council, which started Sept. 13 and will end Sept. 30. “What he said was the police have the right to defend themselves when their lives are endangered when drug suspects violently resist arrest,” Rebong was quoted in reports.

CMFR also found that in his first press conference since winning the elections, Duterte mentioned a shoot-to-kill order to the police in addition to his initiatives to have Congress restore the death penalty. “If you resist arrest, tapos you offer a violent resistance, my order to the police and to the military is to shoot to kill. Narinig ninyo? (Do you hear me?) Buti ang klaro ba. (Better to be clear.) Shoot to kill for every organized crime,” the then presumptive president said.  (“WATCH: Duterte’s priorities: Death penalty, shoot-to-kill orders for criminals resisting arrest,” Interaksyon.com, May 16).