Duterte: I never promised to protect cops who commit abuses

STO. TOMAS, Batangas — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he never promised to protect law enforcement officers involved in abuses as he again addressed the killing of teenager Kian Loyd Delos Santos.

“I said I would protect those who are doing their duty. I never promised to protect those who are supposedly engaged in doing their duty but committing a crime in the process — abuses. That cannot be done,” Duterte said at the inauguration of a solar panel factory here.

In previous speeches, Duterte has repeatedly said that he would pardon cops who are charged for their involvement in drug operations.

But he has promised to back an investigation into the death of Delos Santos, who was killed by Caloocan City police last week during a drug operation.

The cops involved in the operation initially claimed that the 17-year-old fired at them, forcing them to shoot back. But CCTV footage showed that Delos Santos was dragged by cops, belying their claim that he fought back.

In his speech, Duterte said law enforcers should know what to do during encounters.

"You are not allowed to kill a person who is kneeling down, begging for his life. That is murder. Itong mga pulis at military, hindi ko na kailangan that I — every time I issue an order, mag-lecture ako — the modalities and the procedure," he said, before mentioning Delos Santos' case.

"I’m not justifying ‘yung sa Caloocan. It was really bad. Hindi naman performance of duty ‘yung ganoon. Do not commit a crime," Duterte added. —JST, GMA News