Duterte confesses: 'My only sin is the extrajudicial killings'

Philippines president’s admission in speech could add weight to international criminal court inquiry
The Guardian (UK)
Friday, September 28, 2018

President Rodrigo Duterte has admitted for the first time to authorising extrajudicial killings as part of his war on drugs in the Philippines. Duterte made the admission during a speech, where he directly challenged anyone who criticised how he ran the country. “I told the military, what is my fault? Did I steal even one peso?” said Duterte. “My only sin is the extrajudicial killings.” Duterte has previously addressed the existence of extra-judicial killings but has always denied they were state-sponsored. This direct acknowledgment of his role in the deaths could give further weight to the ongoing preliminary investigation by the international criminal court (ICC).