MANILA — Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte admitted that a "death squad" was operational to curb crime during his tenure as Davao City mayor, though he gave conflicting details about its structure, initially describing it as led by police and later suggesting it was run by gang members.

While Duterte was president, a former policeman and another individual testified before the Senate, claiming they had been part of a purported hit squad in Davao that carried out killings on Duterte’s orders. However, legislators at the time found no evidence, and Duterte's associates dismissed the allegations as fabrications.

Appearing before a Senate inquiry on October 28 regarding his anti-drug campaign, Duterte named "commanders" of the squad, including former national police chief and current senator Ronaldo dela Rosa, who was also present at the hearing.

"The police were responsible," Duterte stated, acknowledging to senators that thousands of criminals lost their lives during his time as Davao mayor.

Duterte clarified he never directed the squad to target unarmed suspects, but instructed them "to provoke criminals to retaliate; if they did, eliminate them to keep order in the city."

However, the 79-year-old later contradicted himself by saying gangsters — not the police — made up the death squad, adding further uncertainty about the squad's operations.

"If you want a confession, here it is," Duterte said. "I had a death squad of seven members, but they were gangsters, not police officers."

Human rights groups have documented around 1,400 suspicious deaths in Davao over Duterte’s 22-year tenure as mayor, with critics alleging that his nationwide drug war bore similar hallmarks. Over 6,200 people reportedly died in police anti-drug operations, which are now under investigation by the International Criminal Court.

Police deny the allegations of extrajudicial killings, arguing that the suspects resisted arrest and that officers acted in self-defense.

Senator dela Rosa, who led Duterte’s violent anti-drug operations as national police chief, previously claimed the death squads were "fiction." At Monday's hearing, he downplayed Duterte’s statements, suggesting they should be interpreted as a joke.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters file