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Duterte: 'EJKs' my only sin

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) - President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said his “only sin” was “extra-judicial killings&quot; (EJKs), which refers to not legally sanctioned executions being linked to the government’s war on drugs.“Ako, I will talk to a political exercise now. What are your sins? Ako? Sabi ko nga sa military, ano kasalanan ko? Nagnakaw ba ako dyan ni piso? Did I prosecute na pinakulong ko? Ang kasalanan ko lang, yung mga extra-judicial killings,” Duterte said in a speech in Malacañang.Duterte did not expound what he meant, which was said in the context of him slamming opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan for crafting a law that raised the minimum age of criminal responsibility.He then assailed International Criminal Court (ICC) officials for taking a complaint against him for killings linked to his war on drugs.The President, in previous speeches, had acknowledged the existence of extra-judicial killings, but he had insisted these were <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/16/16/duterte-admits-existence-of-ejk-claims-not-state-sponsored">not state-sponsored</a>.In his speech today, he also acknowledged that some so-called “ninja cops” are behind these killings.“It’s an organized crime, really,” he said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/11/16/duterte-calls-extrajudicial-killings-a-dirty-job">Duterte calls extrajudicial killings &#x27;a dirty job&#x27;</a></li></ul>At least 4,854 drug suspects have been killed in police anti-drug operations, but human rights groups and government critics say this figure is understated. They suspect that killings carried out by so-called “vigilante groups” were also state-sponsored, citing cases where some policemen were caught in illegitimate operations.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/27/16/duterte-not-ejk-if-killing-is-in-self-defense">Duterte: Not EJK if killing is in self-defense</a></li></ul><div>&#x27;Confession&#x27;</div>Agnes Callamard, United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, called Duterte&#x27;s statement &quot;extraordinary.&quot;&quot;Extraordinary statement by a Head of State (and we have had many this week at the UN): my &#x27;only&#x27; sin is #EJK. Translation: my only sin is imposing unthinkable sufferings on 1000s of vulnerable families, emboldening corrupt policing, destroying rule of law,&quot; she said.Former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, in a tweet, also called the attention of the ICC regarding Duterte&#x27;s statement.&quot;Here&#x27;s the President of the Republic of the Philippines, making a public admission of crimes under your jurisdiction. Please act ASAP. Thank you,&quot; he said.Lawyer Edwin Lacierda, former spokesperson of then President Benigno &quot;Noynoy&quot; Aquino III, said Duterte&#x27;s statement is a confession.&quot;An acquaintance who practices international human rights abroad once remarked to me that PH is the only country where the president &amp; his ministers practically admit to killings. To him, It makes the work of the ICC easier. This is one such confession,&quot; Lacierda said in a tweet.

MANILA (UPDATED) - President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said his “only sin” was “extra-judicial killings" (EJKs), which refers to not legally sanctioned executions being linked to the government’s war on drugs.

MANILA (UPDATED) - President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said his “only sin” was “extra-judicial killings" (EJKs), which refers to not legally sanctioned executions being linked to the government’s war on drugs.

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Duterte: 'EJKs' my only sin

Dharel Placido,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 27, 2018 07:17 PM PHT

|

Updated Sep 28, 2018 09:37 AM PHT

Read More:

Rodrigo Duterte

extra-judicial killings

EJKs

war on drugs

human rights

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