Duterte: My presidency a 'total failure' if I fail to control illegal drugs

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has admitted that his presidency would be a "total failure" if he fails to control the drug menace, one of the campaign promises that catapulted him to a landslide win three years ago.

Duterte, whose brutal war on narcotics has left more than 5,000 drug suspects dead, said drug trafficking has become a "big problem" that threatens the future of the next generation.

"It is a big problem. I'm trying to save the next generation. I'm not saying I'm the savior but I'm the president now. If I fail to control drugs by the time the graduating college students become fathers or mothers, they would have a problem," Duterte said during his visit to earthquake survivors in Digos City, Davao del Sur last Monday.

"If we cannot control the flow of drugs, then I will consider my presidency a total failure. So I don't want that to happen. Do not do it," he added.

When he was still running for president, Duterte vowed to put an end to illegal drugs within the first six months of his term. He eventually admitted that the promise was not doable because of the involvement of several government officials in the sale and distribution of narcotics.

READ: NewsLab: The war on drugs

Duterte previously claimed that he had underestimated the extent of the problem and promised to sustain the crackdown on drug syndicates until he steps down in 2022.

While the drug war remains popular among Filipinos -  79 percent of them are satisfied with the campaign, according to the latest Social Weather Stations survey - human rights groups claim that Duterte's directive to kill drug lords have emboldened police officers to execute suspects. Officials have claimed that the administration does not condone extrajudicial killings and that law enforcers only use force if suspects fight back.

Duterte was unfazed by the criticisms against his campaign as he reiterated that death awaits local officials and policemen who are into narcotics.

"I am warning you again, be it the police, the mayors or the barangay captains: You will die. If you get involved in drugs, there is no other way to deal with you, except to kill you," the President said during his visit to earthquake survivors in M'lang, North Cotabato last Monday.

"I’ve been telling you, do not destroy my country. And if you destroy the youth of this land, you will have effectively destroyed the nation. ‘Pag ganun ang sige ninyo gawa, patayan talaga ‘yan (If you do that, there would be killings)," he added.

Duterte accused human rights groups of giving too much emphasis on the number of slain drug suspects and ignoring the social impact of drug addiction.

"Human rights (advocates) only commit human wrongs...They just count the number of dead people in funeral homes. For me, it's a social problem that is the result of the use of drugs," he said.

"Many lives have been ruined. If you have an addict in your house, you have a problem...The family becomes dysfunctional," he added.