President Duterte insisted he has neither killed anyone nor ordered the murder of a person.
He has however admitted that he could not stop the killing of criminals since there is a raging war against illegal drugs and other crimes in the country.
“At maraming sinasabi ‘Rule of law, hindi ka naman sumusunod, marami kang pinapatay.” Wala ho akong pinatay na tao (Many say, ‘Rule of law but you don’t follow, you’ve killed many people.’ I did not kill anyone),” Duterte said during his address aired Monday night.
“Magtanong ka ng isang pulis dito sa Pilipinas, magtanong ka kay Secretary (Eduardo) Año sa DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government), magtanong ka kay (Delfin Secretary) Delfin Lorenzana, at may inutusan ba akong taong sinabi, “Patayin mo ito si Mr. Santos, Edmundo Santos, o patayin mo ito si Juan dela Cruz.’ I never do that (You can ask a policeman in the Philippines, you can ask Secretary Año of DILG, you can ask Delfin Lorenzana if I ever ordered, ‘Kill Mr. Santos, Edmundo Santos, or kill Juan dela Cruz.’ I never do that),” he said.
“For after all, marami rin akong patay na pulis at marami akong napatay na sundalo, not necessarily in connection with the war against the Abu Sayyaf, but it is included and during the Marawi siege, kasali ‘yan. Those were the part of the contraband that were hold off from the place, tonelada po.”