(Eagle News)– Malacañang on Sunday (September 25) said it will look into a WikiLeaks report that President Rodrigo Duterte permitted vigilante killings during his tenure as Davao mayor.
“We will look into [it] first,” Presidential Communications Secretary Martin M. Andanar said.
In a WikiLeaks cable, it pointed out that Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Regional Director Alberto Sipaco confirmed then Mayor Duterte’s knowledge and permission of the slays.
“Recounting a conversation he once had with Duterte, who is his close friend and former fraternity brother, Sipaco said he pleaded with the Mayor to stop vigilante killings and support other methods to reduce crime, like rehabilitation programs for offenders,” the report added.
“Sipaco repeatedly attempted to reason with Duterte that the killings were unlawful and detrimental to society, but Duterte refused to broach the issue,” it further noted.
“According to Sipaco, the Mayor responded, ‘I’m not done yet’,” it read.
Dated May 8, 2009 and entitled “09MANILA1002_a”, the cable was supposedly classified by former United States Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney.
Last weekend, President Rodrigo Duterte asked for an extension of six months to solve crime and illegal drugs in the Philippines, saying he did not realize how severe the drug problem until he was elected President.
