(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte assured the man whose family of five was murdered in their house in San Jose del Monte that justice would be done, noting that criminals had nowhere to hide in the country.
“Kahit saan ka magtago, I will catch up with you. Pag kriminal ka, mahirap buhayin ang kriminal. Isang kriminal dito kinakailangan may relatives sila sa kabilang bayan,” Duterte said in an interview with reporters after he visited the wake of Auring Dizon, 54; her daughter Estrella Carlos, 35, and her grandchildren Donny, 11; Ella, 7; and Dexter Jr., 1.
During his visit, the President also gave Dexter Carlos, the bereaved husband of Estrella, money amounting to P275,000, and a cell phone so he could call Duterte if there was anything else he needed.
He said the National Housing Authority had also offered Carlos a unit.
According to Duterte, either the criminals go to their relatives or they go to Manila, where they would mix with other criminals.
“Justice will be done,” he said.
He announced that one of the “killers” in the San Jose del Monte massacre had already been found dead on Tuesday.
The President was referring to alias Inggo, whose body was found beside a road in San Jose del Monte.
Carmelino Ibañez, who has been arrested by the police, said Inggo was one of his cohorts in the commission of the crime.
Another, alyas Ponga, was killed in his house later in the day.
“As I have told you, this is an organization, a loose organization of criminal syndicates,” he said.
“I will repeat my warning (to criminals). I’ve told everybody since the beginning, if you destroy my country, I will kill you,” he added, emphasizing that this was not at all a direct order to state troops, but a threat to all those who wanted to wreak havoc in the country.
He reiterated he “did not give a s*** about human rights” when the people in question were themselves violating the rights of innocent people.
He took a swipe at human rights advocates, who he said should start a campaign amongst criminals so they could “stop their god**** sh**.”
“Our number one duty is really to protect and defend the Filipino people. One death, two deaths, malaking impact na sa amin. Gaya nitong lima. Kaya ako pumunta dito,” he said.
