Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 18) – The Makabayan bloc on Wednesday urged the Marcos administration to cooperate with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) probe into former President Rodrigo Durterte’s anti-drug campaign, saying he admitted he used intelligence funds to bankroll extrajudicial killings in Davao City when he was mayor.
In House Resolution 1393, the lawmakers cited Duterte’s statement on extrajudicial killings during an interview aired on Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) on Oct. 10. Duterte and his spiritual adviser Apollo Quiboloy were talking about Vice President Sara Duterte’s controversial request for confidential fund.
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“Ang intelligence fund, binili ko, pinapatay ko lahat, kaya gano’n ang Davao,” Duterte told Quiboloy during the interview.
[Translation: I acquired the intelligence funds to kill them. That’ s why Davao was like that.]
“‘Yong mga kasama ninyo, pina-tigok ko talaga. ‘Yon ang totoo,” the former president added.
[Translation: Your companions, I really killed them, That is the truth.]
Earlier this week, former senator Sonny Trillanes IV also urged the Marcos administration to cooperate with the ICC.
Senator Ronald \”Bato\” dela Rosa defended Duterte, saying the former president’s statement must be under the “context of figures of speech.”
READ: ‘Ingay lang’: Bato junks fresh call for gov’t to cooperate with ICC
In July, the ICC said it will continue probing the Duterte administration’s war on drugs after the Appeals Chamber of the court rejected the Philippine government’s plea against the resumption of the probe.
