Dela Rosa to drug users: You can kill drug lords

MANILA, Philippines – “Kilala ninyo sino ang drug lord dito (kung) gusto ninyong patayin, patayin ninyo.”

This was the advice of Philippine National Police Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Thursday to drug users who surrendered as part of the government's intensive campaign to clean the country of illegal drugs.

Dela Rosa told the drug users how the illegal substances that they take destroy their lives, while drug lords are living in peace.

READ: Dela Rosa: We don’t kill drug users just pushers

“Lingid sa kaalaman ninyo na kayo ay biktima ng napakalaking problema ng bansa. Kayo ay ginagamit na instrument nitong malalaking tao. Sila ang yumayaman, magaganda ang pangangatawan, maganda ang buhay dahil hindi sila gumagamit ng droga. In other words sila ay malinis,” Dela Rosa said in Bacolod City, where local authorities presented the drug users who surrendered.

The campaign, called 'Oplan Tokhang', involves police officers going to the homes of supposed drugs users and pushers in a 'drug watch list' and asking them to surrender to save themselves from police operations. 

“Itong mga taong ito matagal nang nagpapayaman, ang gaganda ng buhay, kino-control pa nila ang politika, habang kayo ay lumillit ang utak, natutunaw kakagamit ng shabu,” he added.

The PNP chief also seemed to urge the drug users to take justice in their own hands as it would be hard for the police to find evidence against the drug lords.

“Kilala ninyo naman ang mga drug lord dito, puntahan ninyo ang bahay buhusan ninyo ng gasolina, sigaan ninyo, ipakita ninyo galit kayo sa kanila,” Dela Rosa said.

READ: Bato: We are not butchers

Dela Rosa, who testified before the Senate this week, told lawmakers that his tough words, including issuing "shoot to kill" orders, are part of psychological warfare to  scare drug users and peddlers. He also said that the PNP is against vigilante and extrajudicial killings, a position he has repeatedly stated but has also contradicted with talk about killing drug pushers and drug lords.

The national police chief blames the drug addiction on the high number of crimes, including murder and rape, in the country. He believes that if Filipinos stop using illegal drugs, it would mean a lower crime rate.

According to PNP data, 611,753 people have already surrendered. Of that number, 571,354 are users and 40,399 are pushers.

Dela Rosa hoped for the best and asked the drug users on Thursday to completely turn their backs on drug addiction.

 “Take this golden opportunity. Sana huwag na kayong bumalik kasi ‘pag bumalik kayo wala rin kayong pupuntahan kundi mamamatay rin kayo sa baril ng mga pulis o mamatay kakagamit ng shabu.”