**MANILA, Philippines** — During a Senate inquiry on Monday, former President Rodrigo Duterte revealed that while he served as mayor of a southern Philippine city, he maintained a group known as a “death squad” that was comprised of criminals tasked with killing other criminals.
Despite this admission, Duterte insisted that he did not authorize police to execute thousands of suspects during his presidency, which was marked by a controversial and violent campaign against drugs. This multinational investigation is currently being looked into by the International Criminal Court, which is examining possible crimes against humanity linked to Duterte’s actions during his time in office.
At 79 years old, Duterte made his first public appearance since leaving office in 2022, participating in a televised inquiry where senators are focusing on the extensive drug-related killings attributed to his administration, noted for their unprecedented scale in recent Philippine history.
The former president acknowledged that he had once managed a group of seven “gangsters” to handle criminal activity in Davao City, his stronghold prior to ascending to the presidency. “I can make the confession now if you want,” Duterte stated. “I had a death squad of seven, but they were not policemen; they were also gangsters.”
He described his approach to dealing with crime, saying, “I’ll ask a gangster to kill somebody. If you will not kill (that person), I will kill you now.” Senators Aquilino Pimentel III and Risa Hontiveros sought further information, but Duterte’s explanations were vague, and he promised to clarify in future hearings.
Throughout the hearing, Duterte took an unapologetic stance, claiming he would account for the killings that occurred during his presidency, which lasted from 2016 to 2022. Nevertheless, he maintained that he never instructed police leadership to engage in extrajudicial killings. “Did I ever tell you to kill any criminal?” he asked Ronald Dela Rosa, a former police chief and now senator. Dela Rosa replied, “No, Mr. President.”
Former Senator Leila de Lima, a prominent critic of Duterte and one-time investigator of drug-related killings in Davao, emphasized that there is sufficient evidence and eyewitness accounts regarding the alleged extrajudicial killings, but fear has prevented these witnesses from coming forward. De Lima herself was arrested early in Duterte’s presidency under charges she claims were fabricated to hinder her Senate investigation but was released last year after the charges were dismissed.
“This man, the former mayor of Davao City and the former president of the Philippines, has long evaded justice and accountability,” remarked de Lima, seated near Duterte during the inquiry. She urged that the time has come for witnesses to emerge and assist in prosecuting Duterte and his associates.
Duterte maintained his defiant approach throughout the hearing, declaring, “If I’m given another chance, I’ll wipe all of you,” referring to drug dealers and criminals, who he claimed resumed their illegal activities following his departure from the presidency.
Duterte’s turbulent six-year term, which ended in June 2022, marked a significant chapter in over three decades of Philippine political history, characterized by his controversial demeanor, flagrant expletives, and a disregard for human rights while courting relationships with China and Russia.
His tenure has been labeled as a “human rights calamity” by activists, who cite not only the widespread fatalities under his anti-drug initiatives but also his aggressive stance against critical media, the major Catholic Church, and political opponents.