MANILA (UCAN): Outgoing Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, declared his intention to continue his controversial and deadly war against drugs even after his term comes to an end.
“In a few days, I will no longer be president and these drug suspects may jump with joy. But I will continue to operate. I do not know yet how but I will continue to operate against the drug menace,” Duterte told reporters at a press conference on May 23.
The campaign, which has been waged since Duterte took power in June 2016, involves the identification of potential drug suspects followed by warnings and buy-bust operations has been questioned by human rights groups due to the random shooting of suspects by police alleging resistance. Thousands have been killed, including alleged victims of extrajudicial killings.
Duterte is being investigated by the International Criminal Court [ICC] for the alleged killing of some 30,000 drug suspects without due process of law. The probe covers crimes allegedly committed from November 2011 to March 2019 when Duterte and his daughter, Sara, were serving as mayor and vice mayor of Davao City in the Mindanao region.
I’m warning you. Either you kill me or I will kill you. Simple as that. I will not allow it. And even as an ex or former president, I will not allow you to destroy our society and our children. I will kill you. I do not care about you
The ICC has recorded 12,000 to 30,000 extralegal killings perpetrated by vigilante groups that have remained unsolved up to this day.
“I’m warning you. Either you kill me or I will kill you. Simple as that. I will not allow it. And even as an ex or former president, I will not allow you to destroy our society and our children. I will kill you. I do not care about you,” Duterte said.
He defended his policy, claiming that it was the key to reducing the numerous drug cases docked in Philippine courts.
“Here in Manila, I’ll tell the Supreme Court there is this judge with 1,000 cases but no convictions or filed charges yet. None. Either you remove them or be frank with them. I don’t care if you are a general, a judge, or a congressman if you are in the drug trade,” he said.
Father Flavie Villanueva said Duterte had the impertinence to make such claims president-elect, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., and vice president-elect Sara Duterte, had won in the recent elections.
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“I am sure he would give the ICC a hard time because his ally and daughter are occupying the two highest seats in the Philippine government … The kill, kill, kill state policy will continue,” Father Villanueva lamented.
