Duterte wants death for ‘ninja cops’

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said policemen involved in the illegal drug trade deserve death.

Duterte issued the statement as he claimed that the number of so-called “ninja cops” has gone down to four.

"‘Yung mga generals pati ‘yung ninja cops. And they are still around but are reduced to about apat na lang. And they will all die because may kasalanan sila sa bayan,” he said in a speech at the induction of new officers of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas in Malacañang.

“Whether I’m President or an ordinary [citizen], ‘pag nagkita tayo at alam ko galit ka sa akin dahil sa droga, eh magbabarilan talaga tayo.”

Duterte said that individuals who are a threat to the country will be killed by his hand as it was his "sworn duty" to protect the public.

"Let them worry about the death because I have to protect. My sworn duty is not to protect the people who are into drugs. My sworn duty is to protect the people and preserve the Republic of the Philippines," he said.

The Philippine National Police, whose former chief Oscar Albayalde resigned last October over his alleged links to ninja cops, earlier revealed that 357 cops are under investigation in connection with their alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

Of that number, 15 have availed of optional retirement while 43 others had gone AWOL (absence without leave).

Earlier, a source of GMA News Online bared that Police Lieutenant Colonel Jovie Espenido, the cop who led the anti-illegal drugs operation against the Parojinog clan in 2017, is included in the government’s drug watchlist.

According to the source, the accusation against Espenido will still be investigated similar to the other cops allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

Espenido has been relieved from his post as Bacolod City police deputy director for operations due to the allegations, the same source said. —with Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News