By Raymund Antonio
Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday reminded again President Rodrigo Duterte to be careful with his words as this could be taken as state policy once made public.
Vice President Leni Robredo
(OVP / MANILA BULLETIN)
During her weekly radio show, “BISErbisyong Leni,” she and co-host Ely Saludar talked about Duterte’s “free to kill” order in Bacolod City, where he assigned Lieutenant Colonel Jovie Espenido.
“Napanood ko iyong live feed noong speech na iyon in front iyong sa Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Medyo napapatayo ako sa upuan ko habang pinapanood ko,” Robredo said.
(I watched the live feed of his speech in front of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry. I rose from my seat while I was watching it.)
“Ito na iyong sinasabi natin, na dapat magiging maingat tayo sa sinasabi. Kasi iyong mensaheng binibigay, lalo na kapag pangulo, ‘di ba? Kapag Pangulo, ang mensaheng binigay bawat salita mo, parang polisiya iyon,” she added.
(This is what I have been saying, that we should be careful with our statement, especially if you’re president, right? If it’s the president who gives the message, his every word could be taken as policy.)
In a speech during the 45th Philippine Business Conference and Expo, organized by PCCI in Manila, Duterte said he had told Espenido that when “you go there (Bacolod), you are free to kill everybody.”
“Bacolod is badly hit now…Start killing there. Both of us can go to jail,” the Chief Executive said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Espenido made headlines following the deaths Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., who was killed inside his detention cell by policemen then serving a search warrant, and Ozamis City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog during a raid.
Robredo, who is the leader of the opposition, called out Duterte for his remark, saying this could be misinterpreted and have negative impact to the country’s police force.
“Kapag sinabi mong libreng mampatay, kaya nga nagkakagulo-gulo iyong pulis dahil sa mixed messages na binibigay sa kanila. So sana maging maingat,” she said.
(When you say it is free to kill, that’s why the police are in chaos because of the mixed messages being given to them. So I hope he will be careful.)