Gordon on ICC probe vs. Duterte: Loose lips sink ships

Senator Richard Gordon recalled his warning to President Rodrigo Duterte, who repeatedly threatened to kill people in his pronouncements, as the chief executive faces the International Criminal Court's investigation on the bloody drug war as well as killings in Davao City.

"When I was investigating those extrajudicial killings, ang sabi ko, 'Loose lips sink ships. Mr. President, huwag na kayong magsalita na nagmumura kayo, papatayin n'yo 'yan... loose lips, lulubog ang barko, 'Yung sinabi n'yo, susunod sa inyo 'yan.' Iyan ang nangyari ngayon," he told veteran journalist Malou Mangahas on Monday onThe Mangahas Interviews.

(I told him, loose lips, sink ships. Mr. President, don't curse at them, don't threaten to kill them...  What you are saying will turn against you, and that's happening right now.)

He also stressed that in the wake of Duterte's threats, innocent victims such as Kian delos Santos were killed in the hands of lawmen.

"Talagang masyadong mapusok, masyadong malakas ang dating, ayan. 'Yung mga Kian Delos Santos, umabot na doon, 'yung mga pinapatay... " the senator said.

However, Gordon said strong evidence is still needed to prove if Duterte had links to these killings.

"Hindi naman nangangahulugang guilty na siya... Kailangan dapat, matindi 'yung ebidensiyang ipi-prisinta... (It does not mean he is guilty. There must be a strong evidence.)," said Gordon, who is also a lawyer.

He cited an instance when Senator Leila de Lima, then Justice chief, did a deep probe into Duterte's links to the vigilante group Davao Death Squad.

"Talagang pinupuntahan niya  (de Lima) sa Davao 'yan, pinapahukay niya 'yung killing fields. Hawak niya ang NBI, hawak niya lahat, hindi niya nahuli," said Gordon.

(She went to Davao, checked killing fields. She was even leading the NBI, but she did not catch him.)

Aside from Duterte's fatal anti-drug campaign, the ICC will also look into  the killings in the Davao area between 1 November 2011 and 30 June 2016."—LDF, GMA News