Duterte blames HK, Taiwan crime groups

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday blamed two alleged Chinese criminal organizations for the proliferation of illegal drugs in the country.

Duterte said the Philippines is a “client state” of the 14K triad based in Hong Kong and the United Bamboo triad in Taiwan.

“We are in trouble. And this is the first time that I would reveal it because we’re talking about the Constitution and the interest of our country, and of course, the bill of rights and due process,” the President said in a speech during the 56th anniversary of the Philippine Constitution Association.

“The Philippines today is a client state of a Bamboo triad. They have taken over the operations of – sad to say – Chinese but I do not mean the country and the people. In a sense that most of them are really into this kind of business. I said they have decided to go international,” he added.

At the 120th anniversary celebration of Department of Justice, Duterte made the same allegation.

“Today, the drug problem or issue is all throughout the world,” said Duterte. “The drug proliferation, it’s been operated by the 14K (and) Bamboo Triad. They have taken over. They are cooking the shabu on the high seas.”

Duterte stressed that his fight against illicit drugs trade would remain relentless.

Duterte also reiterated his vow to deal “harshly” with the exacerbating drug problem in the country.

“I almost became a liar because I said that I will finish the job three to six months,” he said. “Drugs, I will treat them harshly. So if you can find an appropriate synonym of what is harsh, then that’s it.”

He also noted that the United States’ government is now in close coordination with his administration to address the “serious” problem of illegal drugs, especially that the Philippines has become “a transshipment of shabu to America.”