Outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte said he would provide legal assistance to policemen and soldiers who might be facing charges while in the performance of their duties, even beyond his watch as Chief Executive.
A lawyer by profession and a former prosecutor, Duterte said would provide free legal aid to police and military personnel as long as they were doing their jobs according to the law.
“Even if I’m no longer a mayor or a President, if it is done in the performance of duty, I will help you to any extent, I am a lawyer. I’ll help you get out of it” Duterte said in a speech during the awarding of Madayaw residential units in Davao City.
It may be recalled that Duterte called on the police and the military to support his war on drugs which has been heavily criticized both locally and internationally for alleged abuses.
In his speech, Duterte said he is confident that he would be able to justify their actions, especially if it has something to do with “arresting or fighting it out with the criminals and the NPAs (New People’s Army).”
“If you happen to kill five, six while in the performance of duty. You know, one burst of the Armalite, different people will be hit, even the innocent. Do not worry. That is part of the territory of fighting. I will be there to support you,” he added.
“Without the support of the police and the military in the early days of my mayorship, I could not have succeeded.
Davao would not be this beautiful, industrial buildings that would make our people happy,” he said