The ongoing tally of the number of cases of drug suspects being killed is increasing, but President Rodrigo Duterte says he did not care, amid calls from both local and foreign human rights groups to stop the killings.
Duterte, in his speech at the State of Mindanao Environmental Summit at the Ateneo de Davao University on August 4, said that drug suspects shot dead during police operations resist arrest and fight the authorities because they are already high.
“Mababasa mo up to date, may tally ang lahat na, 470. I do not care. I really do not care because I know na kapag iyang bangag na,” Duterte said.
He also predicted that the death toll will continue to rise as the suspects continue to fight.
“Rarami pa ito. How much? 400? Kasi iyang lalaban talaga eh. Alam ko iyan,” he said.
“Lumalaban talaga iyan. Kaya lang siyempre ang police kalaban niya bangag. Eh kung may bangag ka, you cannot even shoot straight. At ang pulis, kung mag-aresto ng pusher, dalawa, tatlo, apat yan. May ‘buddy’ tawag nila,” he added.
Duterte also brought up how the chief of police in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur was shot in the chest during a drug-related operation.
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‘User is always a pusher’
Duterte noted that most of those who got killed are not merely drug users, but are also drug peddlers.
“A user is always a pusher except if you are the son of Ayala, Gokongwei,” he said.
“Kung ikaw ordinary taga-Tondo, once you get hooked into the drugs, you must find another one to hook with you para siya magbigay ng suporta. Siya ang magbili para sa iyo iyon namang ulol na iyon,” he added.
‘Salvage’ killings
“Sigurado ako, may sinalvage, sigurado rin ako diyan and we will investigate,” Duterte said.
Salvage, in Filipino parlance, refers to summary killings.
According to GMA News data, as of Wednesday afternoon, August 3, at least 440 drug suspects have been killed since the government started the war against drugs. Of this death toll, 181 were killed by unidentified suspects, while 259 were killed during legitimate police operations.
Addicts ‘beyond redemption’
Duterte also addressed the topic of rehabilitation for all of those who surrendered to the authorities.
On the number of surrenders, “It’s still going up everyday kasi may nagsu-surrender. It’s still going up.”
“Saan ako maghahanap ng pera pang rehab? Yung diyan may bangag na, those beyond redemption, alagaan mo yan kasi pag ni-release ko sa labas yan, magho-hold up na naman. Magnakaw, akyat-bahay, kung anong gawin, just to have their fix for the day. Addict eh. It’s addiction,” he added.
As reported by GMA News Online, PNP data showed that 5,418 suspects have been arrested, while 565,806 others have surrendered to the authorities from July 1 to August 2.
Duterte also expressed his fear about the Philippines becoming a ‘fractured’ nation if the drug problem does not stop.
“If there is a nation at all, it would be something of a fractured one, running just because there are people in it. Huwag ninyong gawain yan. Maghanap kayo ng ibang negosyo. Iwasan ninyo yan,” he said.
As in his previous speeches, Duterte warned those who are still involved in the drug trade that he will kill them.
“Do not destroy my country because I will kill you. Do not destroy the young kasi yan yung aming kapital bukas,” Duterte said.
If you want to watch Duterte’s tough talk on drugs during his speech, you can watch GMA News and Public Affairs’ video below and go straight to mark 31:08.
Sources: (gmanetwork.com, mb.com.ph, news.abs-cbn.com, youtube.com)
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