RODY ADMITS FAILURE IN SOLVING EXECUTIONS

Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte has taken the blame for the spate of unsolved
murders, saying it is a failure of governance.

"The failure lies on my lap," Duterte said as he commended the media for
playing a vital role in calling the government's attention and even
criticizing the government for failing to solve the incidents.

Speaking before the City Peace and Order Council Meeting at the Men Seng
Hotel, Duterte said he has taken the blame to end the rumors about these
murders.

"You are wondering why, where, who, what, where, how when? To simplify the
situation, I take the blame," he said.

This developed as Duterte welcomed the suggestion of a city councilor to
scrap the support of the city government to the police if they fail to solve
the extra-judicial killings in two months.

"Maybe (Supt.Conrado) Laza will start walking without vehicle and gasoline
allowance," Duterte jokingly told those who attended the City Peace and
Order Council (CPOC) meeting. Councilor Bonifacio Militar earlier pushed for
the scrapping of the benefits the city government has extended to the police
for their failure to solve the murders.

"We respect their opinion, we will honor their decision if that's what they
want. There's no problem," Duterte said in response to Militar's proposal.

But those who attended the CPOC meeting disowned the proposal, saying it was
Militar's personal opinion.

Councilor Jimmy Dureza, chair of the council committee on peace and public
safety, said the Militar proposal has not been approved by the city council.

Dureza many of the councilors still believe the police need the support that
the city government can give in order to strengthen peace and order.

Earlier, Dureza criticized the police for their failure to solve the crime.
He even blamed them for allowing the murders to become part of the daily
life of the city.

Duterte said the government recognizes the sanctity of human rights, and
does not agree with the the killings.

However, Duterte told the Mindanao Times the killings will only stop if the
criminals will stop tinkering with drugs.

"If there are no more drugs, then there is nobody to kill. They must be
stupid to pursue the trade even with the knowledge that they are being
killed. So we are taking the blame," he said.

But Duterte said he can only run after the illegal drug activities in the
city, not in other place.

"That is not within my jurisdiction, I can only play here. I am not a player
for the nation. It is difficult to intervene in other jurisdictions," he
said.

However, Duterte said the authorities will continue looking for those
responsible for the murder incidents and take them to justice.

"We just have to continue to enforce the law and really find out who the
killers are and arrest them," he said. Senior Supt. Conrado Laza, director
of the Davao City Police Office, told the Mindanao Times Duterte's statement
of taking responsibility for the unsolved murders reflects the lack of
effort on the part of the police in doing their job.

"We will take that as a challenge. Because I have my responsibility, the
mayor has a responsibility, and me as the chief of police, my mission is to
solve the killings. So I have to do it," he said. Laza has remained
steadfast that the killings will only stop if the people involved in the
illegal drug trade would stop their activities.

"As what we have been telling, the cause of the killings here is the
conflict within the drug trade," he said.