Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 28) — President Rodrigo Duterte is open to creating his own hit squad to go against the Sparrow Unit of rebel group New People's Army.

"Ngayon ang kulang talaga is ang Sparrow ko rin. Diyan lang man sila makalamang. Sa bukid, fight man 'yan. So mag-create ako ng Sparrow. Duterte Death Squad against the Sparrow," he said in his speech at Camp Rajah Sikatuna in Bohol on Tuesday.

The so-called Sparrow Unit was the hit squad of the NPA during the rule of late strongman Ferdinand Marcos in the 1980s.

"I will match their talent also for assassinating people. May armas 'yan sigurado. Iyon ang balak ko," Duterte said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, admitting the hit squad's undercover operations may be abused, said they will conduct a stringent study on Duterte's proposal.

"We will study it very closely. Who will compose it, who will supervise it, who will be the targets, who will be accountable? Because there is great danger of abuse or mistakes in these undercover operations. One way to prevent this is for someone higher up to give the go-signal after careful and thorough vetting. Dapat walang blanket authority 'yung mga operatives," he said.

Philippine National Police Oscar Albayalde said only those "qualified" will be allowed to operate under the death squad. He added those qualified have to undergo processing for their gun license.

The President in March 2018 said the NPA Sparrow Unit was gaining traction once again.

Meanwhile in March 2017, Duterte said the infamous Davao Death Squad was "organized to combat the Sparrow" in Davao.

Davao Death Squad allegedly carried out vigilante killings upon the orders of then-Davao City Mayor Duterte.

In a statement on Wednesday, Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Chito Gascon said that International Humanitarian Law (IHL) prohibits governments from using death squads.

"IHL requires States to use only regular armed forces under strict military discipline thus this strictly prohibits death squads under all circumstances," Gascon said.

The President's staunch critic, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, said Duterte is trying to instill more fear in Filipinos by forewarning there will be another round of extrajudicial killings. He also said Duterte is trying to deceive the ICC by saying this will be the first time that a death squad will exist under his name, discounting the thousands killed in his administration's drug war.

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