Duterte Asks 3 PNP Generals to Resign Before He Assumes Presidency

Davao City (PNA) — President-elect Rodrigo Duterte urged three generals of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to resign before he assumes office on June 30.

“Do not wait for me to name you in public because I will really humiliate you,” he said before an estimated 500,000 crowd during the “One Love One Nation Thanksgiving Party #DU30” at Crocodile Park here.

In his speech, he said the three generals should not wait until they are named and humiliated. Duterte continues to strongly criticize corruption and illegal drugs among the police ranks.

The fight against corruption, illegal drugs and crime are the centerpiece of his presidential campaign that he vowed to curb in three to six months.

He also vowed to review the cases of police officials dismissed from service citing the practice of those involved in cases to just disappear after charges are filed against them.

“Kasi ang (Because their) style nila (their) they disappear from the horizon tago tago lang  (just hide). Pag matagal na, pupunta na sa abogado dahil wala ng witness patay na o matanda na o hindi na interesado dahil after 2 or 3 years walang nangyayari dahil at large man sila. (If {the case} is already long-drawn-out, they go to lawyers because there is no more witness or the witness is dead or too old or not interested because after two or three years nothing happened because they were at large). After two years they appear post bail,” said Duterte.

Duterte said if the people facing criminal cases cannot post bail, they will insist on a speedy trial because under the Philippine Constitution “there must be a speedy trial. If the case is dismissed and is always with jeopardy it cannot be filed again.”

Duterte said the judges can also dismiss cases based from a statement from those who serve the summons that witnesses or complainants cannot be located anymore.

“So yun gagawin nila (they will do that),” he said. He said these kind of officials will then go the National Police Commission or Camp Crame asking for their reinstatement to service with a fee of PHP300,000.

“Hindi ako papayag niyan (I will not allow that),” he said. He said he would kill all police officers facing drug charges and reiterated his warning for those involved in illegal drugs to stop or face the consequences.

He said some policemen are into illegal drugs for two reasons: extreme need and extreme greed. He assured to shoulder the reason of extreme need such as hospitalization of family member by providing a little amount of financial help just to let them stop their illegal activity.

He advised those who are hooked on drugs to stop because as the medical experts say, rehabilitation is not already an option. “It shrinks the person faster than ever,” he stressed.

He also urged the people to invoke their right to arrest a criminal. You tell them “inaaresto kita bilang (I am arresting you as) criminal and I am invoking the criminal law of the land,” Duterte said. He further said that if the criminals resist arrest and attempts to harm the arresters, “barilin mo (You shoot)” I’ll give you a medal,” he said. (PNA) JMC/LILIAN C. MELLEJOR/LDP