By Deighton Acuin

PHOTO: Abante/PCOO

President Rodrigo Duterte’s “kill, kill, kill” order against communists is such a directive that is legal under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), Malacañang said on Monday.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after at least nine activities were killed while six others arrested during alleged raids of CALABARZON police.

“Kapag meron po talagang digmaan, sang-ayon sa International Humanitarian Law, eh pupuwede talagang magkaroon ng labanan at meron talagang mamamatay lalong-lalo na doon sa mga kasapi po sa labanan,” said Roque in a media briefing.

“So under IHL po, tama ;yung order ng Presidente. Kill, kill, kill kasi nga po, kapag merong labanan, kapag ang kalaban mo may baril na pwede kang patayin, alangan namang ikaw ang mag-antay na mabaril at mapatay?” he added.

However, Roque said the death of activists should be probed since they were “unarmed.”

“So ‘yung mga siyam po na napatay, iimbestigahan po natin ‘yan. Kasi hindi po sila sakop ng International Humanitarian Law dahil noong sila ay napatay, wala naman silang hawak na baril,” Roque noted.

“Pero ‘yung order ng Presidente na kill, kill, kill, legal po ‘yan. Dahil ang kanyang sinabi na kill, kill, kill ay ‘yung mga rebelde na meron pong hawak na armas,” he added.

In a meeting with National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Friday, Duterte ordered uniformed personnel to kill communist rebels.


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