President Rodrigo Duterte promised to fully exercise his pardon privileges when military and police officials are indicted for following his orders to combat illegal drugs in the country.
“Mayroon akong nakita sa Constitution. Ito ang panlaban ko... the right or the power of the President to pardon. [The] President can grant pardon, provisional or absolute, or amnesty with the concurrence of Congress,” Duterte said during his fellowship dinner with his San Beda Law batchmates on Sunday.
Duterte added he would also prepare “pre-signed” pardons available for military and police officials, even those without pending court cases.
“Gagamitin ko ‘yan. Maniwala kayo. Kaya pagdating ng panahon. Pag sabi arraignment. Magkuha ka diyan. Maraming kopya ‘yan. Pre-signed. Maski ‘yung walang mga kasalanan, pwedeng kumuha diyan. Bigay mo sa judge. Absolute pardon, restored to full and civil rights,” he said.
The President also mentioned that he will not hesitate to pardon 10 to 15 military and policemen everyday even if judicial and other constitutional bodies raise their concerns on his actions.
Duterte joked he would even consider pardoning himself when he leaves Malacañang at the end of his term.
“Ipitin ninyo ako. Ganon ang mangyari. I will not hesitate to pardon 10, 15 military and policemen everyday. O, magreklamo… Eh nandiyan sa Constitution eh. Pardon,” he said.
“So pag-alis ko ng Malacañang, dito mag-pirma ako: Pardon is hereby granted to Rodrigo Duterte. Signed Rodrigo Duterte. Eh, brain lang man ‘yan. ” Duterte said much to the delight of his law batchmates.
'Wag kayong mag-imbento'
But Duterte stressed that he would protect policemen as long as they do their duties and not lie to him nor fabricate evidence during anti-illegal drug operations.
“Sabi ko lahat ng pulis, sabi ko: “Do not lie to me.” Babarilin talaga… Mag-trabaho kayo. ‘Wag kayong mag-imbento. Do not fabricate evidence. I will hear you,” Duterte said.
“And if you’re telling the truth, sabihin mo ako. 'Utos ni Mayor Rody.' Sabihin mo diyan sa judge, sabihin mo diyan sa piskal, sabihin mo sa Ombudsman, sabihin mo sa Human Rights. ‘Wag mong sabihin sa akin kasi alam ko na. Just come to me,” he added.
Battling illegal drugs and criminality were Duterte's main pitch during the campaign period of the May elections. He even pledged to suppress drugs, crime, and corruption in government within the first three to six months of his term.
Already, two congressional probes have been sought over the spate of killings of drug suspects, one by Sen. Leila de Lima and the other one, by Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat.
But incoming House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez shrugged off any probe on the killings and called it as a "waste of time" because Congress still needs to pass too
Meanwhile, Solicitor General Jose Calida defended the Philippine National Police a few days after the resolutions were filed and urged them to not be afraid of congressional inquiries.
Calida said he will not allow anybody to derail the anti-illegal drug efforts of the PNP as ordered by Duterte. — Joseph Tristan Roxas/RSJ, GMA News
Source: GMA News
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