Hontiveros hits back at Duterte: Your words urging to kill criminals have weight of policy

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday hit back at President Rodrigo Duterte for insulting her and questioning her remarks on the supposed state policy on killings, noting that the latter's words have the "weight of policy."

"I am not a genius but I know that while two deaths do not make a policy, thousands of dead, without remorse, regret, or action from the government, do. 8-13,000 people have already died in this bloody war on drugs, mostly from the ranks of the poor," Hontiveros said in a statement.

"Ang libong mga namatay ay hindi bunga ng aksidente. May intensyon, may nagdikta, may sistema at polisiya sa likod ng mga patayan. How could the number of dead reach such catastrophic levels if there is no guiding principle and policy behind it?" Hontiveros added.

The senator pointed out that Duterte could not deny the fact that his words have the effect of a policy.

"And the truth is, the President has a well-documented record of encouraging violence against drug dependents and suspected drug pushers. 'Shoot suspects if they fight back, make them fight if they don't,' 'kill all criminals,' and 'makapatay lang tayo ng another 32 every day, then maybe we can reduce what ails this country,'” Hontiveros said, accusing Duterte of smearing the image of the police and "inspiring the culture of killing and impunity."

Hontiveros also said presidents practice diplomacy because they are "keenly aware of the effect their words have on their citizens, much more on the state's uniformed services." 

On Tuesday, Duterte slammed Hontiveros for insinuating that the deaths of young people including 17-year-old Kian delos Santos and 19-year-old Carl Angelo Arnaiz indicated that there is a state policy to kill crime suspects, during a Senate hearing on the slays.

Meanwhile, the senator urged "honest and selfless rank-and-file members" of the police force to end the climate of death.

"I am not unfamiliar with the police community. I am a PNP widow. I know many of you are honorable and patriotic. I know many of you have worked hard to professionalize the police force. I know many of you are hurting from the actions of a few corrupt and abusive within your ranks," Hontiveros said.

"It's time to end this madness. Let us redeem the reputation and integrity of the PNP. We start this by rejecting the policy that encourages the culture of killing," she added. — Anna Felicia Bajo/MDM, GMA News