Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte defended his drug war that killed thousands at a congressional inquiry that¡¯s taking place amid a deepening feud between his clan and incumbent leader Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
¡°Do not question my policies because I offer no apologies, no excuses. I did what I had to do and whether you believe it or not, I did it for my country,¡± Duterte said at the Senate probe on Monday. It was the first time the former leader showed up at an inquiry by lawmakers into his anti-drug campaign since his term ended in 2022.
Duterte said police had the right to protect themselves when their lives were at risk, repeating a justification for his deadly drug war that he¡¯s made during his term. ¡°I and I alone take full legal responsibility in all of the actions committed by the police pursuant to my order,¡± he said.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.