Duterte pushes citizen's arrest vs pushers

DAVAO City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte urged civilians to be more proactive in conducting citizen's arrest to get rid of the city's illegal drug problems.

"What a policeman can do, you can do. Ang tawag duon citizen's arrest," Duterte in his television program "Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa" aired Sunday morning.

Duterte said civilians can also employ force when conducting a citizen arrest as long as the suspect is showing any resistance.

"Pag nilapitan mo ang suspek kasi hilahin mo at dadalhin mo sa station, tapos lumaban at nagsuntukan kayo, suntukin mo rin. Pag nasaksak ka o nabaril ka, barilin mo rin. Iyon ang sabihin mo sa pulis. Kung yan ang nangyari, i-guarantee ko sa inyo na ako ang magpakulong kung ikukulong kayo (If you approach a suspect and drag him to a police station and he resists and you engage in fistfight, punch him back. If you get stabbed or shot, shoot back. That is what you tell to the policemen. I guarantee you that if you get imprisoned because of that reason I will have myself imprisoned)," Duterte said.

"When the suspect resists, fight back. Just state your case very clearly that you are making a citizen's arrest because he is violating a crime. When a person is making a citizen arrest, they should commensurate the resistance," Duterte added.

But Duterte is dismayed by the laws implemented by the City Internal Affairs and Service and the People's Law Enforcement Board since they limit the actions of police officers when making arrests.

"How can you help the government or how can you help your children if you are bound by laws that will limit your means of arresting a criminal?" Duterte said.

The vice mayor earlier offered a cash reward of P5,000 to anyone who can provide information that would lead to the arrest of one pusher or user.

Duterte also lauded the efforts of policemen and village chiefs who went door-to-door to remind suspected drug pushers to stop their illegal drug trade or get out of Davao City.