As former President Rodrigo Duterte, he directly defended and expressed his drug war in the Senate amid allegations of abuse and extrajudicial killings. In his opening statement at the Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearing, Duterte said, "Don’t ask me about my policies because there’s no remorse, no reason. I did what I had to do, and whether you believe it or not, I did it for my country."
In Duterte's first appearance, at 79 years old, at an investigation into the drug war that has resulted in the deaths of thousands and is currently being investigated by the International Criminal Court, he pointed out that his mandate as president of the republic is to protect the country and its people. Duterte explained that the aim of the war on drugs is to shelter the innocent and vulnerable, and not to kill.
Duterte also stated that he did not allow abuses by police or military, although he admitted that he ordered law enforcement to defend themselves when attacked by suspects. "I alone take full legal responsibility for all police actions by my order. I will be held accountable and I will be imprisoned," he said.
In an interview with NewsWatch Plus, Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel, who chaired the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearing, said that all information gathered by the Senate will be made public. "We offer, whatever we have found, a day of hearing, open to the public. They just need to ask, we will provide them certified true copies of the documents that we have, along with the affidavits submitted to us," Pimentel said.
Pimentel also noted that there is no law in the Senate prohibiting them from providing information to international agencies. "If they ask, we will give it unless we have a objection, we will discuss that and present it for a vote," he added.
