Duterte pledges to continue war on illegal drugs
MANILA — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte vowed Monday to continue his bloody war on illegal drugs despite international and domestic criticism and warned that offenders will end up in “jail or hell.”
In his second state of the nation speech, Duterte also insisted he would not hold peace talks with communist rebels because of continuing attacks.
Security issues dominated his most important annual speech, including a disastrous two-month uprising by proIslamic State group militants in a southern city, the worst crisis he has faced.
Thousands of protesters marched outside Congress demanding that Duterte deliver on a range of promises that mirror the diverse burdens of his presidency, from protecting human rights to improving Internet speed.
Two months after more than 600 pro-Islamic State group militants blasted their way into the southern city of Marawi, the military is still fighting the last gunmen — fewer than 100. Duterte told reporters after his speech that the government counteroffensive will not stop “until the last terrorist is taken out.”
The crisis, however, may not end soon, according to Duterte, because troops have to move carefully to ensure the safety of about 300 hostages he said are being held by the gunmen. “I don’t want these innocent people to be slaughtered,” he said.
Congress overwhelmingly voted on Saturday to grant Duterte’s request to extend martial law in the south to allow Duterte to deal with the Marawi crisis and stamp out other extremist groups.
Despite criticism and threats of criminal prosecution, Duterte said his drug crackdown, which has left thousands of suspects dead, will go on.
“Do not try to scare me with prison or the International Court of Justice,” he said. “I’m willing to go to prison for the rest of my life.”
He reiterated his plea that Congress reimpose the death penalty for drug offenders and others.
“The fight will not stop until those who deal in (drugs) understand that they have to stop because the alternatives are either jail or hell,” Duterte said, to applause from his national police chief, Ronald del Rosa, and other supporters in the audience.
More than 5,200 suspects have died so far. Human rights groups have reported a higher toll and called for an independent investigation into Duterte’s possible role in the violence.