Duterte vows to end Communism, reduce PH's drug problem
Published Jan 26, 2020 12:00 am
By Genalyn Kabiling
President Duterte has pledged to "end Communism" and reduce the country's drug problem to the barest minimum during his term.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
The President explained that addressing these security concerns was part of his constitutional mandate to serve and protect the people.
“People should realize that in it is in my generation, it is during my time, that I should be doing things to protect them, to make them easy. I fight the wars,” Duterte said during his interview over Russian television network RT last week.
“I want to end it now. I want to end communism. I want to end the drug problems or at least reduce them to barest minimum so that the next generation will not have so many problems,” he said.
Asked if he will be remembered as a leader who solved or created problems, Duterte said there was "no need to remember" him in the future.
"Let me say it here and now, drugs can destroy, uncontrolled drugs in a country will destroy itself. I've told everybody that if you destroy my country, like the Philippines with drugs, I will kill you," he said.
Duterte previously declared that the illegal drug problem and the Communist insurgency have been dragging down the country's economic growth.
He has denounced past rebel atrocities but recently hinted about plans to jumpstart the peace talks.
On the war on drugs, Duterte has vowed to sustain the relentless campaign despite human rights concerns raised by some groups.
In his latest media interview, the President found nothing wrong with defending the country from the threats posed by the illegal drug trade.
"Tell me if it is wrong to be passionately defending your country against drugs," he said.
He recognized the threat confronting the country, citing the involvement of some foreign drug syndicates in the proliferation of dugs in the country. He said the illegal drugs particularly cocaine were being smuggled by the bamboo triad and other drug cartels.
"There's always been a short of supply but now there is an abundance coming in from Mexico and the triad somewhere in China," he added.
Duterte believed that China also has a strong anti-drug campaign. “It is not the policy of China. China also executes people,” he said.
But he admitted the limitation of the government's anti-drug drive, saying it cannot afford modern equipment to track down the illicit substance. "We are not as rich as China. We don't have most sophisticated gadgets. We cannot afford the high priced drug or whatever it is equipment that can you tell if drug is there,” he said.
Read more: Duterte to stay focused on serving, protecting Filipinos in 2020 – Palace
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
The President explained that addressing these security concerns was part of his constitutional mandate to serve and protect the people.
“People should realize that in it is in my generation, it is during my time, that I should be doing things to protect them, to make them easy. I fight the wars,” Duterte said during his interview over Russian television network RT last week.
“I want to end it now. I want to end communism. I want to end the drug problems or at least reduce them to barest minimum so that the next generation will not have so many problems,” he said.
Asked if he will be remembered as a leader who solved or created problems, Duterte said there was "no need to remember" him in the future.
"Let me say it here and now, drugs can destroy, uncontrolled drugs in a country will destroy itself. I've told everybody that if you destroy my country, like the Philippines with drugs, I will kill you," he said.
Duterte previously declared that the illegal drug problem and the Communist insurgency have been dragging down the country's economic growth.
He has denounced past rebel atrocities but recently hinted about plans to jumpstart the peace talks.
On the war on drugs, Duterte has vowed to sustain the relentless campaign despite human rights concerns raised by some groups.
In his latest media interview, the President found nothing wrong with defending the country from the threats posed by the illegal drug trade.
"Tell me if it is wrong to be passionately defending your country against drugs," he said.
He recognized the threat confronting the country, citing the involvement of some foreign drug syndicates in the proliferation of dugs in the country. He said the illegal drugs particularly cocaine were being smuggled by the bamboo triad and other drug cartels.
"There's always been a short of supply but now there is an abundance coming in from Mexico and the triad somewhere in China," he added.
Duterte believed that China also has a strong anti-drug campaign. “It is not the policy of China. China also executes people,” he said.
But he admitted the limitation of the government's anti-drug drive, saying it cannot afford modern equipment to track down the illicit substance. "We are not as rich as China. We don't have most sophisticated gadgets. We cannot afford the high priced drug or whatever it is equipment that can you tell if drug is there,” he said.
Read more: Duterte to stay focused on serving, protecting Filipinos in 2020 – Palace