PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte maintained Wednesday that he would still believe the police version of the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., even if their testimony is "not true."
Duterte made the remark during the awarding ceremony of the state forces' golf tournament held Tuesday at Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club, Quezon City.
The President said he would side with the members of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Eastern Visayas who killed Espinosa while they were serving a search warrant on the late mayor for alleged illegal possession of firearms.
He said that he could not neglect the fact that CIDG head Superintendent Marvin Marcos and other members who were involved in the killing were “part of the government.”
“Here in the police [who killed] Albuera [mayor], of course, I will believe the police even if it is not true. I will believe the police and you military guys because you are part of the government and I am the commander-in-chief,” Duterte said.
“So if you tell me what happened, that’s what really happened for me,” he added.
Duterte earlier ordered the reinstatement of Marcos and his group, citing that he had received intelligence reports that the CIDG chief has links to the illegal drugs.
But despite his instruction, the President clarified that he is not coddling any drug personalities and not receiving money collected from narcotics trade. (Sunnex)