Duterte admits to planting evidence, personally killing suspects in drug war

In a Philippine House committee hearing on Nov. 13, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte admitted to using controversial tactics, including planting evidence and personally killing suspects during his tenure as Davao City mayor. The revelations came after repeated questioning by lawmakers about his statements from a 2016 press conference where he hinted at such methods.

Planting evidence: Initially denying these accusations, Duterte eventually confirmed them when confronted with video footage of his past remarks. The 79-year-old former president acknowledged that planting evidence was part of his strategy to apprehend criminals, describing it as a necessary tactic to control crime in Davao. He explained that while illegal, these actions were justified by the need to combat criminal elements. He also reiterated his admission of having personally killed six or seven individuals, allegedly to set an example for police officers. “If I can do it, why can’t you?” he reportedly told law enforcement during his time in office.
Rewarding killers: The hearing, part of an ongoing investigation into Duterte’s war on drugs, also touched on allegations of a reward system for killing suspected drug offenders. Duterte confirmed the existence of monetary rewards but insisted that these were for solving “big crimes” rather than incentivizing extrajudicial killings. His admissions have reignited debates over his administration’s methods, with human rights groups estimating that as many as 30,000 individuals were killed in the anti-drug campaign.

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