important isis leaders, the chief of external plotting, was killed in an air strike in syria. and this kuwaiti-born operative killed just this week. so what if the u.s. was able to capture or kill al baghdadi? would it change the course of the war posly in the opening weeks of the trump administration. they belief the isis ideology will live on for some time, possibly long after al baghdadi meets his fate. barbara starr, cnn, the pentagon. now to cnn exclusive. a man who says he was an assassin has come forward with explosive claims. he said that president duterte once ran a secret death squad. as mayor ordered him to commit unthinkable acts. mr. duterte threatens to jeopardize his country s military alliance with the u.s. for more on this cnn s will
ripley is joining us from man a manila. will? reporter: hi, cyril. president duterte, whenever anyone criticizes his human rights record is outraged and that includes a rent interview to pull out the visiting forces agreement that allows u.s. troops to operate in the philippines. when you look at the greater drug war that entered the sixth month as of today, 6,000 people killed we need to look at where it began in the davao city in the philippines where he mayor declared war on drugs and where this self-proclaimed former hitman said he was acting on orders from the man who is now president committing murders after murders, sometimes innocent people. edgar says he and filipino president duterte have something in common, they both have blood
catholicism and is prepared to die and believes he should die but also believes president duterte deserves the same fate. we will continue to report on this story. thank you very much. a short break here. you are watching cnn newsroom. stay with us. we will be right back after this.
they will kill me, he says because now their secrets have been revealed. he says he s eager to confess his sins to shine a light on the dark reality behind the president s deadly drug war. supporters of president duterte would argue that he is coming forward now to try to undermine the president who is popular here with his approval rating near 80%. however many believe his story and he says the reason why he is coming forward after 25 years as a hitman is he had a change of heart over the years. including one within the last few years or so when there were two teenager girls, drug users taken in by the death squad. he said think were first raped and tortured before they were killed and he thought at that point nobody deserves to be treated like that. and he decided to give his life to ka thoth thole schism and says he sa
duterte told me he personally gunned down three people while mayor to set example for his officers but in media interviews says he doesn t remember this man and denies ordering vigilanty killings. for several years he was in witness protection. now that duterte is president he s in hiding. meet at safe house several hour there s manila, moved ten times in last year and facing charges of kidnapping and illegal firearms possession. i was told to cut the bodies in pieces he said. claims dumped bodies in crocodile farms, in the streets and in mass graves but mass graves never been found. why are you the only one to come forward?