Rody intends to kill more drug suspects

HANOI – President Duterte intends to kill more drug suspects and even go to jail for it rather than allow the number of drug-affected citizens to balloon from the estimated four- million addicts today to 10 million in the next years.

Disregarding the serious human rights concerns raised by the United Nations, the United States and the European Union, Duterte said he would like to see the drug problem eradicated, or at least significantly reduced, by the end of his term.

“And I intend to kill more because I have to account for these four million: I will not leave the presidency in shame. I will not go out sa pagkatapos ng termino ko at mag-iwan ako nang mabigat na problema na ang (that by the end of my term I will leave the big problem of) addicts now or multiply to something like 10 million,” he said.

Speaking before the Filipino community here, Duterte said he is ready to face jail for his actions.

Duterte arrived the other day for a two-day working visit.

“Mas mabuti pa ako na lang ang magpakulong, patayin ko na lang

lahat (it’s better that I go to jail, I will just kill them all),” he said.

In jest, the 71- year- old Duterte said he will welcome conjugal visits if he lands at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) over his anti-drug campaign.

“Eh tutal hiwalay man ako sa

asawa ko (I’m separated from my wife anyway) and there are conjugal visits allowed in Muntinlupa. You may want to visit me, girls only. Baka kasi pagpasok doon na, mahirap iyan. Ay kasi bakla na ako noon eh.

Ayokong mabakla ngayon (they would be strictly screened… I was gay then, I don’t want to be gay now),” he said.

At the start of his speech, Duterte cracked a joke by introducing Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II as the “best friend” of his harshest critic, Sen. Leila de Lima.

Aguirre had implicated De Lima in the illegal drug trade at the national penitentiary, which accusations the senator claimed were part of Duterte’s smear campaign against her for being a staunch critic of the administration’s war on drugs that has resulted in the killing of over 3,000 suspected drug pushers and users nationwide.

Before the crowd of some 500 Filipinos, Duterte dished out tirades anew against the European Union, the US and the UN, which have all criticized him over the killings.

Noticing that there were members of foreign news agencies in the room, Duterte asked at one point if they were taking down notes as he started lambasting his critics anew. He said he was their favorite whipping boy.

“So, what am I supposed to do? Itong (this) human rights, let me lecture on you, ( US President Barack) Obama, ( UN secretary- general) Ban Ki-moon, EU, mga lawyers ng EU because they passed a resolution calling my attention and even threatening me to face the international court of justice. Genocide, bugok itong mga gago, genocide sa imong igit,” he said.

Despite reports that the administration’s anti- drug campaign might affect the economy and the stock market, Duterte remained unfazed.

“And this Obama, Ban Ki- moon and you must be joking. Whether you are there or not, the campaign against drugs in the Philippines will continue and it will be relentless and I will not count the dead bodies,” Duterte said.

“I will just say continue to destroy the drug apparatus for if you do not do it, it will destroy our country. Make your choice. And the military has understood it because we share the same data,” he added.

Duterte also responded to critics’ claims that drug-related killings are tantamount to genocide.

“Genocide ( is) when you kill the Jews or one tribe, one sect or belonging to the same religion or race. Bakit ako magenocide?” he asked.

While he joked about going to jail for his anti-drugs campaign that included the shaming of drug personalities, Duterte expressed belief that he cannot be held liable for any crime under Philippine laws.

“If I cannot be held liable in my country, why are you f** king with me? Why imprison me with the laws of another country? You must be crazy. Mga tarantado, ay sus

bugok,” he said. “That is the urgent and immediate matter which I have to address. It is my country, if you have nothing else to do, do not ‘f’ with me,” he said, elicting cheers from the audience.

“At least civilized, ‘f’ lang,” he added.

He lamented that the US and other critics opted to launch attacks against his administration instead of helping him.