MANILA — Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales has spoken out for the first time against President Duterte’s take-no-prisoners approach to crime suspects, saying his directive to kill people is “not acceptable” under any circumstance. ADVERTISEMENTShe said Mr. Duterte’s publicists might try to explain or justify his words but they could not deny the impact of his message. “If they do not fight back, then make them,” Mr. Duterte said, reverting to his outrageous but increasingly familiar rhetoric against suspectedcriminals. In December, appearing at an INQUIRER forum, Morales said “It’s not illegal to say ‘I will kill you’,” when asked to comment on Mr. Duterte’s threats to kill criminals. Her brother Lucas Carpio Jr. is the father-in-law of Mr. Duterte’s daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 13, 2017 19:52 UTC