Palace: Duterte plan to create death squads vs. NPA just an idea

President Rodrigo Duterte's plan to create death squads to counter communist rebels remains to be an "idea," his spokesperson said Thursday, amid questions on its legality and fears it would worsen the killings attributed to the drug war.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said while Duterte was serious about the plan, details about its possible implementation would still have to be threshed out by the Department of National Defense.

"I think the President was just bringing an idea, and if that idea becomes a reality as Secretary of Defense Delfin Lorenzana said, the Army will be in charge of that," Panelo told reporters.

"There is also the idea that perhaps if you organize that composed of men in uniform, and you need those who surrendered coming from the [New People's Army] to join so that these people know who the members of the sparrow units are."

Asked if there is a possibility that the creation of death squads will not push through, Panelo said: "Of course, an idea can either come into fruition or not."
 
Duterte announced on Tuesday that he "will match the talent" of the NPA’s Special Partisan Unit, popularly called sparrow units targeting authorities and government officials, for "assassinating people" as he lamented the continued rebel attacks on soldiers and policemen.

Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Chito Gascon warned the government against creating a death squad, saying it was prohibited under  the International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

New York-based Human Rights Watch, meanwhile, said the death squads would worsen the already lethal environment encouraged by the drug war, which has killed nearly 5,000 people since Duterte assumed office in June 2016.

"You know if you say death squad, the intention of it is just to kill but not killing in self-defense, he is right," Panelo said when asked to respond to Gascon's statement.

"But this is different. Precisely, you are going to create that to prevent the killing of these people, of civilians. Masyadong narrow ang kaniyang pananaw dito."

Panelo said the state cannot just sit idly by and watch while the communist rebels "kill with impunity."

"What do you want the state to do? Just sit idle and watch? We cannot do that. It’s the duty of the state to protect its citizens," he said.

He also denied that the plan would encourage people to take the law into their own hands.

"I don’t think it will encourage. In fact, people will be relieved that there is such, if this idea becomes a reality na may mga nagbabantay pala sa amin na mga gustong pumatay sa amin. Eh kung ako ang civilian, matutuwa ako," Panelo said. — MDM, GMA News