Duterte: Gov't can't open records on drug war, NPA killings

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said the government cannot divulge information about those who were killed in security forces' anti-drug and anti-insurgency operations.

This despite the Philippine National Police's willingness to share information about 61 cases of drug-related killings wherein there is liability on the part of lawmen. 

But in this week's Talk to the People, Duterte said the records of deaths of drug suspects and members of communist rebels are "confidential."

"I suggest you go to the police and look into the records of deaths. Gusto ninyo kunin, hindi namin maibigay lahat not because we are hiding some facts that known to us unknown to you, kasali na dito.. it's a security issue," Duterte said.

"Kagaya ng NPA (New People's Army), we have records that those who have died but to have derogatory records in our files at may references sila na tao and what they do, we cannot divulge it to everybody," Duterte added.

Duterte, himself, said has no access to the records on killings of drug lords and NPA members, adding that he does not bother to get information about these deaths.

"I do not even know kung sino mga yan. I do not ask it, I do not bother to really go out of my way of knowing because kasali ako sa mga taong di nakakaalam. What I get is the result of the operation but as to the basis people involved, suspects at references nila at sources ng operation, this cannot be revealed," he added.

At one point, the President said not only security forces have been killed, citing that the NPA and drug lords also know how to kill.

"Be careful especially human rights, be careful in your evaluation because hindi lang ang gobyerno marunong pumatay, ang NPA pati mga drug lord marunong pumatay yan. 'Yan ang problema diyan," he said.

Previously, the justice department created an inter-agency panel to review the controversial drug war of country's law enforcement agencies.—LDF, GMA News