Duterte defends drug war anew

MANILA, Philippines — Facing a possible probe by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his bloody war on drugs, President Duterte said for the nth time that he was “protecting” the country when he launched the campaign that resulted in the killing of thousands of suspected drugs offenders and criminals.

“I’m protecting my country. It is my duty as President to protect and serve the people of the Republic of the Philippines. So in obedience to that mandate, that is how I interpret it, do not. If you want, do not,” he said.

Before she retired as ICC prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda requested the international court to open an investigation into the killings of thousands carried out by security forces in pursuit of Duterte’s so-called war on drugs and criminality.

“The drug problem is a never-ending one. But if you want to see how it can destroy a country, just look at Mexico, (Sinaloa). They are the ones who dictate who will run for governor in the local areas, who run for mayor. It’s narco-politics,” Duterte said at the launch of Lingkod Bayan advocacy support group on Friday at Camp Crame.

With top police officers in attendance, the President noted how illegal drugs continue to destroy many lives and families.

“There are shabus and they continue to number in billions until now. And the human rights are not even worried about how many children would still be destroyed and homes are, I said, rendered dysfunctional,” he said.

“This is the one side story of people said 7,000 killed. Well, that was – five years I started to declare war. But the other side is how many policemen and soldiers did I lose? Aplenty,” Duterte added.

Duterte said many policemen were also killed during his campaign against illegal drugs, supposedly after suspects fought it out during the police operations.

As long as he is president, Duterte said the fight against illegal drugs would continue and that he would spare no one – even friends.

“Kaya nila sabihin na hindi lumalaban (They can always say they’re not fighting back),” he said, referring apparently to claim by critics that many of the drug suspects were summarily executed.

“That is why mainit talaga ako sa droga. Mainit ako sa droga. Na sinabi kung kaibigan kita, magkasala ka, huwag droga kasi ‘pag droga talagang papatayin kita maski kaibigan kita (That’s why I really hate drugs. Even if you’re my friend, I will kill you if you get into drugs)” he said.

He stressed his campaign against crime and corruption will continue until the end of his term next year.

“Crime. Corruption. I only promise I will take care of criminality, drugs, corruption. And I will try to build infrastructure in the city that – those only that we can afford. Nandiyan naman lahat, nakita naman ‘yan. I have complied, actually,” Duterte said.