"WHY is dismissed Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto still alive?"
This was the question of President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, March 26, as he launched profanity-laced tirades against Acierto, who surfaced over the weekend to warn the President of that one of his economic advisers, Chinese national Michael Yang, has links to illegal drugs.
In a speech delivered in Koronadal City, South Cotabato, the President said the public should not believe Acierto's claim about Yang's supposed drug links.
"Huwag kayong maniwala itong, lalo na itong si Acierto. Ito ngayong -- tanungin ko kaya ang military at pulis, bakit buhay pa ang p***** i**** iyan (Do not believe Acierto. Now, he is... I'll ask the military and the police, why is this son of a b**** still alive?)?" the President said.
On March 24, Acierto revealed that he sent an intelligence report to Duterte's office and other law enforcement agencies early as 2017, detailing Yang's alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade.
Acierto, however, claimed that his intelligence report was deliberately ignored by the President to tolerate Yang's supposed illegal drug activities.
Duterte reiterated that Yang's close ties with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua would prove that the Chinese national is not involved in illegal drugs.
The President also admitted that he brushed aside Acierto's claim, since he was aware that the sacked police official was involved in illicit acts.
"Michael Yang is always with Premier [Li] ng China. Every time mag-punta dito kasama iyan. Papayag kaya ang ambassador, satellite nila -- Papayag kaya si Michael Yang mag-punta punta dito kasa-kasama ang ambassador (Every time Li goes here, he's with Yang. Will the ambassador also allow to be with Michael Yang if the allegation is true)," he said.
"Binuko ko sila diyan, sabi ko, 'You are a f****** idiot.' Sila Acierto kasi alam ko na. Sabi niya hindi ko raw binigyan ng importansya. Bakit ko bigyan ng importansya? Kayo ang nag-imbestiga, eh 'di gawin niyo ang trabaho niyo," Duterte added.
(I slammed them. I said, "You are a f****** idiot." I'm referring to Acierto and his company because I knew their illegal activities. He said I did not give importance to his allegation. Why would I give importance? You're the one who investigated that so you should have done your job.)
In October 2018, Duterte denied that he appointed Yang, a Chinese businessman, as his economic adviser. But a month later, Panelo admitted that Yang was one of Duterte's economic "consultants."
Earlier Tuesday, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea clarified that Yang was no longer Duterte's economic adviser.
Medialdea, in a text message, said that Yang's "one per peso annum contract" already ended on December 31, 2018.
Duterte then turned the tables on Acierto, saying that the police official was dimissed from service in August 2018 due to alleged involvement in the questionable registration of more than 1,000 AK-47 rifles, which ended at the hands of the New People's Army.
The President also said that Acierto was one of those behind the controversial-kidnap slay of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo who was killed inside Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Acierto was the officer-in-charge of the dismantled Philippine National Police Anti-Illegal Drugs Group when Jee was slain. He, however, was not charged for command responsibility.
"Ngayon, he (Acierto) was the guy na nag-import ng AK-47. One thousand something. Tapos dineliver niya sa New People's Army. Pulis itong gagong 'to ha (Now, he was the guy who imported more than 1,000 AK-47 rifles that were eventually delivered to the New People's Army. This stupid guy was a police official)," Duterte said.
"Alam ko siya na korap. Alam ko na siya na nag-kikidnap ng mga Chinese, pati 'yung Koreano na pinatay doon sa Krame, siya 'yun. T*** i** itong Acierto na 'to (I know he's corrupt. I know he's involved in the kidnapping of Chinese nationals and the Korean national who was killed in Camp Crame. Acierto, you're son of a b****)," he added.
Acierto was also on top of the drug matrix released by Duterte in October last year. (SunStar Philippines)