Ex-pres Duterte more like Hitler than Ninoy - Palace exec

The Palace dismissed claims on Monday of Vice President Sara Duterte that former president Rodrigo Duterte could end up like the late Sen. Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr., stating that the former president compared himself to Adolf Hitler.

“Parang hindi po natin nadinig noon inihalintulad ni dating pangulong Duterte ang sarili niya noon kay Ninoy, kung hindi kay Hitler,” Palace Press Officer Usec. Atty. Claire Castro said in a press briefing.

The press officer quoted the former president comparing himself to the German dictator.

“I quote — 'Hitler massacred 3 million Jews. Now there are 3 million drug addicts? I'd be happy to slaughter them. If Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have me'," she told the media.

Castro said that Duterte being compared to the late senator is a ‘far stretch’ because the latter does not have a record of mass murder or human rights violations.

“Napakalayo pong ikumpara ang sarili o ikumpara ang dating pangulong Duterte kay Ninoy Aquino na hindi nagkaroon ng anumang record ng mass murder o crimes against humanity,” the press officer added.

Vice President Sara Duterte said in a large gathering of Filipinos at The Hague, Netherlands on Sunday that she warned her father that he could suffer the same fate as Aquino if he returns to the Philippines.

“Gusto niyang umuwi. Sinabi ko din sa kanya ‘yon, ‘Pa, sabi ko ‘yung kagustuhan mo na umuwi, iyan din ‘yung katapusan ng buhay mo, magiging Ninoy Aquino Jr. ka.’ At sinabi niya sa akin, sabi niya ‘Kung ganyan ang kapalaran ko then so be it basta lang mauwi ako sa Pilipinas,” Duterte said.

In response, Castro refutes the vice president’s claim that the life of the former president is in danger.

“Saan nakukuha ‘yung mga threats? As a matter of fact, hanggang ngayon ‘yung sinasabing threats kay VP Sara hindi pa rin po naipapakita sa NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] at saka sa PNP [Philippine National Police],” the press officer said.

She added that there is a need for evidence before releasing these kinds of statements to make it true.

“Kailangan po natin kasi ng mga materyales, ng mga ebidensya bago po magsagawa ng ganitong mga klaseng statements, wala pong katotohanan ‘yan,” Castro told the media.

The Aquino family also dismissed the vice president’s claim, stating that what was done to the late senator was different to the former president.

“Kung pag-aaralan natin ang kasaysayan, makikita natin na ibang iba ang ginawa kay Ninoy sa pinagdadaanan ngayon ni dating Pangulong Duterte,” the family said in a statement through the Ninoy & Cory Aquino Foundation Facebook page. 

Aquino was the leader of the opposition during the Marcos dictatorship, was assassinated at the apron of Manila International Airport (which is currently named Ninoy Aquino International Airport in his honor) on August 21, 1983.

His murder led to public protests that eventually led to the fall of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.’s administration.