November 14, 2024 | 11:30am
MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte told House lawmakers on Wednesday, November 13, that planting evidence “was part of his strategy” as Davao City mayor in apprehending suspected criminals.
Initially, however, Duterte denied using this tactic. He even called it “garbage.”
At the House Quad Committee’s eleventh hearing, Rep. Dan Fernandez (Santa Rosa, Lone District) asked Duterte to confirm whether his 2016 press conference remarks about planting evidence were true.
“Mr. President, mayroon po kayong sinabi noong 2016 sa interview niyo po that you have planted evidence during your time as a fiscal. Is this true? ‘Di po totoo?” Fernandez asked.
“That’s garbage,” Duterte responded.
The lawmaker asked Duterte once more, to which he said the police are aware evidence-planting is illegal and that he would not permit it.
“Alam ng mga pulis ‘yan, ‘yang planting of evidence. Hindi talaga ako papayag,” the former president said.
Fernandez, however, pointed out that Duterte’s denial contradicted his statements made on Aug. 21, 2016, at the DPWH Panacan Depot in Davao City.
He added the Philippine National Police, as an organized group, “construed” his statement as permission to “plant evidence freely” in investigations.
Duterte defended himself, arguing that he had taught criminal law to the police, and even mentioned that if planting evidence was not indicated in the book he used, “then it’s not true.”
However, it was when Fernandez played the recorded press conference that Duterte made a 180-degree turn.
In the video, Duterte was seen recounting his time as a prosecutor.
“We planted evidence, we arrested persons, but we released them,” he said. “We first planted the intrigues so that we would know where they came from.”
After Duterte heard himself, he then told Fernandez that it was true.
“So, Mr. President, hindi po totoo ‘yung nasa video po?” the lawmaker asked one last time.
“Totoo ‘yan,” Duterte confessed. “Well, that was part of the strategy as mayor and as the leader of the law enforcement agencies.”
The House mega panel had also exacted other admissions from Duterte, including the existence of a reward system and personally murdering suspected criminals.
This was also the first time the former president attended the House probe into his war on drugs and the thousands of extrajudicial killings it caused.
Duterte had skipped the previous two hearings, citing health concerns, and later refused to attend, stating he no longer trusted the integrity of the Quad Committee.
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