Palace on Duterte having a monument: Taumbayan ang magsasabi

It is the public who will decide if former President Rodrigo Duterte deserves a monument and not him, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said on Monday. 

At a press conference, Castro was asked for reaction on the statement made by Duterte during a thanksgiving event for overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong wherein the former president said he can have a monument beside Jose Rizal.

''Siguro po ang pagdedeklara ng isang tao na hero ay dapat hindi po siya ang nagsasabi noon – taumbayan ang magsasabi kung siya ay naging hero at pagawaan siya ng monumento,'' Castro said. 

(The declaration of someone as a hero as well as having a monument should not come from a person – it is the public who can say if a person is indeed a hero and if he deserves a monument.) 

Castro also denounced the former president for saying that he did what was necessary to keep the Philippines safe during his administration.

''Ngayon, patungkol naman po doon sa sinasabi niya na wala siyang kasalanan, marami na po tayong nadinig, siya mismo po ang umamin sa hearing sa Quad Comm at saka sa Senado – marami siyang inamin – unang-una, sinabi niya na he encouraged ‘di ba he ordered the police officers to encourage the suspect to fight – for what? Anong purpose noon? Ang sabi niya, inamin niya para magamit din iyong depensa, because kapag lumaban ang isang suspect maaari itong masabing self-defense on the part of the police officers – pero hindi dapat ganoon ang gawi; there should be a due process,'' Castro said.

(In response to his remarks that he was not at fault, we have heard a lot of things, he made an admission during the the Quad Comm and Senate hearings. He admitted a lot things and he said he encouraged, he ordered police officers to encourage the suspect to fight - for what? What's the purpose of that? He said, he admitted that such can be used as a defense because if a suspect fights back, one can say that this was part of the self-defense of police officers. But that shouldn't be the case, there should be a due process.)

''We have to give the suspect/any accused the right for this due process – hindi tayo dapat laging cut the process. At ang sabi niya, bakit daw ginawa iyon? Para mabilis maresolba ang problema, mabawasan agad ang problema hindi ganoong pamamaraan – hindi pa ba iyon kasalanan?'' she added.

(We have to give the suspect/any accused the right for this due process - we shouldn't cut the process. He said he did that so the problem could immediately be addressed. Isn't that a mistake already?)

Duterte maintained that his actions as president were aimed at ensuring peace and order in the country. This came after some reports stated that there was already a warrant of arrest against him from the International Criminal Court.

The ICC has been investigating Duterte and other officials of his administration for alleged crimes against humanity linked to thousands of deaths in anti-drug operations.

Malacañang said that it is prepared should the ICC issue a warrant of arrest against Duterte.

Castro, however, said the Philippine government has not received any communication yet from the ICC as regards the matter.—AOL, GMA Integrated News