Duterte to ‘blow to kingdom come’ pirates, drug traffickers

The Philippines is prepared to “blow to kingdom come” pirates and drug traffickers passing local waters as part of an intensified campaign against transnational crimes, President Duterte declared on Saturday.

The President has authorized the Philippine Navy to “kill” these lawless elements after admitting that drug traffickers and

pirates have been plying their trade because there is “no authority in the high seas.”

“I repeat, my order to the Navy is that if they are positive that they are pirates, you blow them to kingdom come. Patayin mo na lahat at matapos na ang problema ko at ng Pilipino [Kill them all so the problem of Filipinos is over], and so with the drugs,” Duterte said during the Bonifacio Day commemorative rights in Caloocan City on Saturday.

Duterte said the country has teamed up with Indonesia and Malaysia to conduct border patrols against sea piracy and other transnational crimes in the regional waters. He argued that the nations have the “right” to blast the pirates out of regional waters.

“You know what, the trawlers, ‘yung maluluma na mga barko ng mga Chinese, they ply the international seas. And there is nobody but nobody who can stop them because there is no authority in the high seas,” he said.

“But if you commit piracy, then that gives any nation the right to blow you — to blow you to the high heavens. And we are beset with piracy in the Celebes, Sulu Sea, and the Indonesian waters,” he added.

He recalled that the proposed task force was tackled in his previous meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

“I just had a talk with President Widodo and Mahathir. And I said it’s high time that we form a task force, not really intruding into the waters of other countries but just patrol your areas incessantly and accurately. And I will do my share in the Sulu Sea and the sea in here, Jolo,” he said.

Illegal recruiters

With his patience running thin, President Duterte also threatened to finish off the “vultures” engaged in the illegal recruitment of Filipino workers.

The President issued the warning after disclosing plans to raise the threat level of illegal recruitment to the rank of the country’s drug problem.

“The easiest way for now to get an employment is there are so many vultures, the illegal recruitment. And one of these days, I will raise you to the level of a drug problem and I will take care of you,” he added.