Lorenzana backs formation of ‘Duterte Death Squad’ vs. NPA unit, wants soldiers for the job

The proposed Duterte Death Squad unit which is expected to neutralize the Sparrow unit of the communist rebels' armed group New People's Army (NPA) should be composed of soldiers and should not fire at will, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Wednesday.

Lorenzana was responding to the President Rodrigo Duterte's comments on Tuesday night that he wanted to form a Duterte Death Squad that “will match the talent" of the NPA’s Sparrow units, with the President even warning that suspected NPA members will be gunned down.

“Walang [kailangang] hanapin [ang death squad] kundi [mga] mag-istambay na mga tao diyan, suspected NPAs, at bibirahin din sila..kung makakita kayo ng tatlo o apat na NPA na nakaupo lang, patayin ninyo agad,” Duterte had said.

“Pabor ako diyan, pero ang gagamitin natin, mga sundalo, hindi kung sinu-sino lang. Dapat merong accountability. Dapat may clearance from their commander [ang operations laban sa mga Sparrow members]. Hindi sila puedeng bigyan ng blanket authority na tirahin ang kahit sino gusto nilang tirahin,” Lorenzana said in an interview with News To Go.

“Kailangan siguradong ang tina-target natin ay Sparrow [member] talaga. Mahirap naman na magkamali tayo. Kawawa naman ang mamamatay na 'di naman pala talaga miyembro ng Sparrow. Iniiwasan nating magkamali. Hindi puedeng itinuro alng ng isang tao, 'yun pala kagalit niya, eh maniniwala na tayo. We have to be very careful,” Lorenzana added.

Lorenzana, however, conceded that such Duterte Death Squad unit will be hard to put in check.

“The danger of abuse here and committing a mistake...napakalaki kung walang kontrol,” Lorenzana said.

Still, Lorenzana maintained that such anti-Sparrow unit is necessary especially after they reportedly killed a soldier aboard a motorcycle recently.

“Gumagalaw na naman sila,” Lorenzana said.

In October 2017, then Armed Forces Chief of Staff Eduardo  Año said that the military wants to eradicate the NPA by end of 2018. — Llanesca T. Panti/MDM, GMA News