Set to cut off Europe, Filipino declares

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine president said he has asked his finance secretary to reject an unspecified British financial-aid package and that he’s ready to cut diplomatic ties with all European countries critical of his deadly anti-drug crackdown.

President Rodrigo Duterte also threatened in a state TV talk show late Friday “to declare a revolutionary government until the end of my term” to allow him to arrest opponents and start an all-out war against communist guerrillas if they seriously attempt to destabilize his government.

As new criticism arises over his anti-drug campaign, which has left thousands of suspects dead, Duterte has barred the national police for the second time from enforcing his crackdown and designated a small anti-narcotics agency to spearhead the operation.

The volatile leader also has been incensed by concerns over the drug killings raised by a small group of European parliamentarians and human-rights advocates, who recently visited Manila.

“I am prepared to lose all diplomatic relationships with all of the European countries now. … You’re not allowed to enter here now. I will write that letter,” Duterte said, adding that the Philippines could drop European imports.

Duterte said his country could survive “as long as I have China, Russia and eastern Europe,” along with a bloc of Southeast Asian nations that he currently heads.