By Genalyn Kabiling
President Duterte is not backing down from his war on drugs despite the coronavirus pandemic.
The President has threatened anew to kill those who destroy the country with illegal drugs after commending the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the seizure of P5.1 billion worth of shabu in Bulacan.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (ACE MORANDANTE / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
"Sabi ko nga (I said) if you destroy my country distributing 5.1 billion of shabu all throughout the country, I will kill you," Duterte said during a public address aired on state television Friday.
Duterte said the country has become a transshipment point of illegal drugs, citing the involvement of the Sinaloa drug cartel. Many police officers have already died in the government's "journey to fight drugs," he added.
"Kayong mga human rights, makinig kayo ha, makinig kayo. P***** i** ka makinig kayo sa akin. Ang Pilipinas hindi talaga nahinto (To the human rights groups, listen to me, you son of a b*** listen to me, it has not stopped in the Philippines). We are already a transshipment,” said Duterte who was in a meeting with some Cabinet members on the coronavirus response Thursday night.
The President read the police report on the drug haul in Bulacan and gave the PNP led by its chief Police Gen. Archie Gamboa a "snappy salute" for the latest feat. He praised the dedication of the police in the campaign against illegal drugs despite the threat of the coronavirus.
"Despite the pandemic, police are working. So kita mo ang mga pulis ko nagtatrabaho. So --- and mindful of the fact that they can get the COVID by their dedication," he said.
"Officially, I would like to congratulate the PNP at si Archie Gamboa, General, taga-Davao ‘to. You have my snappy salute. I will talk to you when I go back to Manila," he said.
The police seized 63 boxes of shabu weighing 756 kilos of shabu with an estimated street value of P5.1 billion in a house in Marilao, Bulacan last Thursday. Three suspects including a Chinese national were reportedly arrested during the anti-drug operation.
"I will say that itong mga Chinese, I’d like the Chinese government to know that there are so many ways of fighting corruption," he said.
"But one of them that is really pisses me to no end, these are things that --- it destroys my country --- the human resource, ang mga bata, ang mga anak namin --- ninyo (our children, your children), " he added.