Malacañang said the government is open to investigating alleged drug-related killings under President Marcos if concrete evidence is presented.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said this after Nicholas Kaufman, the counsel of former president Rodrigo Duterte in his International Criminal Court (ICC) proceedings, claimed that drug-related killings continued under the current administration.

In her press briefing on Friday, Feb. 27, Castro stressed that claims must go beyond numbers and be supported by specific details.

“If there are pieces of evidence that can be submitted, then that’s the right time to investigate this matter,” she said.

She added that the President does not want the current administration to be tainted by allegations of extrajudicial killings.

“Hindi po gugustuhin ng Pangulo na mabahiran ang administrasyon na ito ng madugong extrajudicial killing, dahil hindi po iyan ang kaniyang legasiya (The President would not want this administration to be stained by bloody extrajudicial killings because that is not his legacy),” she said.

Castro said those making allegations should immediately submit details to the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), or the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

“Kung sino po ang nagsasabi niyan, magbigay agad sila ng kanilang mga detalye… para ito po ay maimbestigahan (Whoever is saying that should immediately provide their details… so that this can be investigated),” she said.

She added that there is no need for a directive from the President for such investigations to proceed.

“Hindi po kailangang mag-utos pa ang Pangulo, trabaho po ito ng mga investigative bodies natin para kung sino iyong dapat managot, dapat na managot (There is no need for the President to order it; it is the job of our investigative bodies so that whoever should be held accountable will be held accountable),” Castro said.

Castro questioned why Kaufman appeared to focus on President Marcos instead of defending his own client.

“Bakit ang mata niya naka-focus kay Pangulong Marcos Jr.? Depensa po ba niya ito? (Why is his focus on President Marcos Jr.? Is that his defense)?” she said.

She also asked whether the argument amounted to an admission that killings occurred during the previous administration.

“Pag-amin ba iyon na talagang may patayan sa panahon ni dating Pangulong Duterte (Is that an admission that there were indeed killings during former President Duterte’s time)?” she said.

Castro also weighed in on the Duterte camp’s argument that the term “neutralize” did not necessarily mean killing. She said that in the Philippine context, particularly in law enforcement and military usage, “neutralize” is widely understood as a euphemism for killing.

She likewise cited the word “tokhang,” which she said carries a deadly connotation in local usage.

Still, Castro acknowledged that it is the role of the defense to raise such arguments.

“Hindi natin sila magsisisi doon eh, trabaho po ng abogado iyon, especially po siya naman ay binabayaran ng pamilya Duterte (We cannot fault them for that; that is the job of a lawyer, especially since he is being paid by the Duterte family),” she said.

Castro reiterated that President Marcos’ directive in the campaign against illegal drugs is clear.

“Even before, ang sabi ng Pangulo, walang dugong dadanak, hindi po niya ginugusto ang extra-judicial killings (Even before, the President said there will be no bloodshed; he does not want extrajudicial killings),” she said.

She said the administration’s approach emphasizes due process and adherence to the Constitution.

“Ang pagsugpo sa ilegal na droga ay may tamang pamamaraan… hindi po kinakailangang ipapatay agad nang hindi sila nadidinig (The fight against illegal drugs has a proper way… they should not be killed without being heard),” Castro said.

She added that the death penalty is not imposed in the Philippines and that suspects must be afforded due process.

“Wala po sa konstitusyon natin ang salitang death penalty. Hindi po ito ipinatutupad sa bansa natin (The term death penalty is not in our Constitution; it is not implemented in our country),” she said.