Duterte slams Acierto, claiming he is linked to kidnapping and NPAs
President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday slammed dismissed police officer Eduardo Acierto, revealing his alleged involvement in kidnapping incidents and with the New People’s Army ( NPA).
On Monday, Acierto said Duterte’s former special economic adviser Michael Yang is involved in illegal drugs but Malacanang and the Philippine National Police ignored his intelligence report.
“Do not believe that, especially Acierto. I asked the military and police, why is he still alive?” Duerte said in his speech in Koronadal City, South Cotabato.
Acierto and other police officers were dismissed from the PNP in August 2018 for being involved in the missing AK-47 rifles
Duterte claimed Acierto bought around 1,000 AK-47 rifles which landed in the hands of the NPA rebels.
“He was the one who imports rifle then he delivers to the NPA,” he said.
Duterte revealed that Acierto is reportedly involved in kidnap-for-ransom of Chinese nationals living in the Philippines and on the death of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-Joo
“I know that he is corrupt. I know that he kidnaps Chinese, Korean ? the Korea who was killed in Camp Crame. It’s him,” said Duterte.
Jee Ick-Joo, according to Duterte, is not involved in drugs and Acierto’s group only wants to extort money from him.
Duterte said he did not give importance to the intelligence report of Acierto about Yang’s alleged involvement in illegal drugs because it is their job to investigate.
“I already knew (the information). He said I did not give importance. Why will I give importance? You are the investigators, so do your job,” he said.
“He is the only one who pointed at Michael Yang,” he added.
Duterte defended Yang by saying how can he be involved in illegal drugs if he is always with some Chinese government officials.
“Michael Yang came here 1990, he asked for permission… he was introduced to me that he wants to import cellphones here. He opened a business here and he gave jobs to the people,” he said.
“Don’t believe him (Acierto). He just said Michael Yang but Michael Yang is always with Premier (Li Keqiang) every time he visits. Will the (Chinese) ambassador (Zhao Jianhua) agree to go with him (if he’s involved in drugs)?” said Duterte.
Earlier, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said Yang’s contract with the government expired.
“Mr. Michael Yang's one peso per annum contract expired on December 31, 2018,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS
