Former President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday (October 28) declared he will take “full legal responsibility” and that he is willing to go to prison for the killings and excesses committed by the police to enforce the bloody war against illegal drugs.



Immediately after the former president made this declaration during the Senate probe into the drug war killings, an uncle of 17-year-old drug war victim Kian Delos Santos spoke of the murder of his nephew by Caloocan City policemen tasked to carry out Duterte’s all out campaign against illegal narcotics.



Facing Duterte, Randy delos Santos revealed that the Regional Trial Court of Caloocan City has found guilty the three policemen behind his nephews murder. They were also convicted of imbedding illegal drugs and firearm on the victim’s body to justify the killing.



In his opening speech before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Delos Santos said that their family has joined families of 312 other innocent victims of Durterte’s drug war who are seeking justice for the murder of their loved ones.


He recounted how the Philippine National Police, then led by now Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, demonized him and Kian’s father as the police faced public condemnation for the 17-year-old boy’s killing.



According to him the PNP issued press release claiming that he and his brother were neighborhood toughies and were involved in trafficking.



The truth is, De los Santos said, they are known in the community as Bible preachers of the Jehovah’s Witnesses faith.


Duterte, who was granted the privilege to deliver an opening speech, said that he made clear his tough stance against illegal drugs right at the start of his campaign for the presidency in 2016.



“Do not question my policies because I offer no apologies, no excuses. I did what i had to do,” he stated.



“This was my covenant with the Filipinos who believed in me and to this day, most of them agree with what we in government had achieved,” the former president boasted.



Over 6,000 people have reportedly been killed as a result of the drug war. Many of the slain individuals had drug record but many were, like Kian, were also innocent.


“i and i alone take full legal responsibility. sa lahat ng mga nagawa ng mga pulis pursuant to my order. Ako ang managot at ako ang makulong, Huwag ang mg apulis na sumunod sa order ko,” he stressed.



Duterte recalled that as a professor at a police academy in Davao City, he advised students to aim for the kill if their lives are threatened.



“At kung may baril, at kung sa tingin mo, sabi ko sa police academy, say mamamatay ka, barilin mo sa ulo. At least (there will be) one less criminal in the community. Iyo ang utos ko,” Duterrte said.


He added: “Do not make orphans of your children and widows of your wives. I don’t want that in my conscience as mayor and president.