President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday lashed out at Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales after she criticized him for “goading people to kill people” in the course of his campaign against drugs and crime.
Speaking in Malacañang before newly appointed officials, Duterte said he would be willing to step down if Morales could point to a law barring him from threatening criminals.
“Bakit iyang Ombudsman, hindi corrupt?” Duterte said.
“Ayusin mo iyang Ombudsman n’yo… Do not play God and shut up… Mahiya ka sa sarili mo,” he added.
He even asked Morales when she started to anoint herself as the spokesperson for the criminals.
“Nagpipigil ako, kasi your brother is my balae… Hindi mo lang alam ang problema ko,” Duterte said, as he recounted the drug and other security problems of the country.
Duterte’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio is married to the nephew of the Ombudsman, lawyer Mans Carpio.
In an interview with Japan’s NHK World, Morales said the repeated public calls of Duterte to kill drug personalities is “not acceptable” since her office is also investigating alleged extrajudicial killings.
“He’s goading people to kill people. That’s a problem,” Morales said. “The directive to kill people under any situation in respective of the context to me, that’s not acceptable.”
Morales also dismissed the usual defense by Duterte’s spokespersons and other administration officials that said Duterte’s tough talk are all just “hyperbole.”
“His communications people say that’s hyperbole. You know, they try to rationalize whatever he says so whether or not the police or whoever he addresses these words believe him. That’s a different story,” she said.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella, in response to Morales, said Duterte’s remarks were just taken out of context.
Duterte, a former Davao City mayor known for his anti-crime stance, has repeatedly justified his bloody war on drugs, telling law enforcers that they should not be afraid to kill suspects who would fight them.
He also said he will not allow policemen to be jailed for performing their duties.
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