MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has urged the police to sustain the momentum of its campaign against illegal drugs even as he warned that there would be more killings if the next administration does not address the problem.
During a pre-recorded public address aired Monday night, Duterte admitted being worried about the drug problem, noting that authorities continue to seize huge amounts of narcotics despite his warnings.
"It seems that the apprehensions and seizure of the prohibited drugs continue until now. And they are happening in different places, I suppose, and there is still supply and we do not know where they are," the president said.
"As an outgoing president, I’m scared because of the penchant of people really to do drugs because of the money. The problem is the number of Filipinos affected by it. Before, it's (amount of drugs seized) in the millions. Now, it's in the billions," he added.
Duterte was referring to the drug raid that resulted in the confiscation of P11-billion worth of shabu in Infanta, Quezon in March.
Duterte, whose tough stance on illegal drugs and crime allowed him to win the presidency by landslide in 2016, said he still trusts the Philippine National Police even if some of its personnel were involved in narcotics trade.
"There are scalawags, some are into drugs, a few of them. And yet the police had to police its own ranks and many policemen were caught," the president said.
"I would encourage the PNP na to remember their country irrespective of who the leader is. We are just a passing scene in our...history. Do not remove the fervor in your hearts, regardless of the leader. I am about to step down. Try to maintain your momentum against the drug problem," he added.
Duterte said the police should not be afraid to confront the drug problem and should just ignore human rights groups that are critical of the anti-drug campaign.
"Well, I trust that the next administration will also do its very best to confront (the drug problem). Kasi 'pag hindi, magpatayan tayo uli. Ganoon 'yan (If not, we would end up killing each other again. That's the way it is)," he said.
"If everything goes wrong and there is no more right momentum for us, then we are finished as a nation."
'Report narco mayors'
Duterte warned that the Philippines is "nearing the stage of a narco-politics," saying some Filipino mayors are into illicit drugs just like in Sinaloa, Mexico.
He called on law enforcers to expose local chief executives who are trying to meddle in their fight against illegal drugs.
"If your mayor is interfering with your work, especially if his leader is into drugs or his child is involved in it and the mayor starts to interfere, you report immediately to the Secretary of the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government)," Duterte said.
"Report it. Do not be intimidated when he claims, "It was ordered by the general.' It's your duty to go public and name them publicly. Report to your DILG. Do not be afraid of cases," he added.
Duterte reiterated that he does not care about what the International Criminal Court (ICC) would say about his drug war. The outgoing president has been accused of committing crimes against humanity before the ICC over the killings tied to his bloody war on narcotics. Duterte and his officials have denied the allegations and have insisted that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the issue. More than 6,000 drug suspects have been killed since Duterte launched his controversial drug war in 2016.
"If the Philippines becomes a Sinaloa, you (ICC) won't be able to help," Duterte said.
Duterte also assailed human rights groups, whom he said are not helping the country.
"Is there any case pursued by the human rights, international or the local, to at least equalize the situation by also going after the terrorists who are criminals?" he said.