Ombudsman Morales says Duterte 'goading' people to kill

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales has accused President Rodrigo Duterte of "goading people to kill people" with his tough rhetoric against drug pushers and users.

In an interview with Japan's NHK World, Morales said the repeated public calls of Duterte to kill drug personalities is "not acceptable" since her office is also investigating alleged extrajudicial killings.

"He's goading people to kill people. That's a problem," Morales said. "The directive to kill people under any situation in respective of the context to me, that's not acceptable."

Morales also dismissed the usual defense by Duterte's spokespersons and other administration officials that said Duterte's tough talk are all just "hyperbole."

"His communications people say that's hyperbole. You know, they try to rationalize whatever he says so whether or not the police or whoever he addresses these words believe him. That's a different story," she said.

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella, in response to Morales, said Duterte's remarks were just taken out of context.

Duterte, a former Davao City mayor known for his anti-crime stance, has repeatedly justified his bloody war on drugs, telling law enforcers that they should not be afraid to kill suspects who would fight them. He also said he will not allow policemen to be jailed for performing their duties.

The government's war on drugs has been blamed for the spate of extrajudicial killings since Duterte assumed office in June last year.

A self-confessed hitman, Edgar Matobato, has filed a complaint against Duterte for his alleged involvement in the so-called Davao Death Squad.

Morales had earlier hinted that Duterte is not immune from investigation with regards to extrajudicial killings.

Meanwhile, Morales said in the NHK interview that her office is in the process of consolidating all EJK cases, some of which can affect the charges filed against detained Senator Leila de Lima, and start fact-finding investigations.

"In our case, there have been some complaints which have a bearing with extrajudicial killings, which have a bearing on drugs especially the complaints againts the detained senator [De Lima]. So we try to consolidate all these complaints and conduct fact-finding investigation," Morales said. —KBK, GMA News