Duterte Admits Existence of 'Death Squad' but Confusion Remains

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte acknowledged the existence of a 'death squad' during his tenure as Davao City mayor, though he provided conflicting details about its composition. While initially blaming police officers, he later claimed gangsters made up the squad. Human rights groups have documented numerous suspicious killings during Duterte's administration.

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has admitted to the existence of a 'death squad' under his leadership as Davao City mayor but provided contradictory descriptions of its members. Initially, Duterte claimed the squad was comprised of police officers, later asserting it was formed by gangsters, adding to the controversy surrounding its operations.

Duterte made this revelation during a Senate inquiry into his hardline campaign against illegal drugs. He identified former national police chief and current senator Ronaldo dela Rosa as one of the 'commanders' of the squad, emphasizing the role of the police in combating crime, though thousands of suspected criminals reportedly died during his mayoral tenure.

Despite the serious nature of these admissions, Duterte maintained he never instructed the squad to target defenseless suspects. Meanwhile, human rights organizations have documented over 1,400 mysterious killings in Davao during Duterte's 22-year mayoral term, drawing parallels to the over 6,200 deaths in his national drug crackdown, now under investigation by the International Criminal Court.

(With inputs from agencies.)