Duterte: Human rights group should not tinker with PH drug problem

Human rights groups should avoid tinkering with the country's drug problem and threatening the government with investigation and imprisonment over its anti-drug operations "out of bigotry," President Duterte said Monday night.

According to the President, rights groups could instead help convince drug offenders to stop using the illegal substance for their own health or they could look for another advocacy.

"Human rights, you better look for another fight. Iyang mga genocide talaga iyong… Alam ninyo kung anong countries (like genocide. You know which countries) But do not tinker with the drug problem in the Philippines. This is mine and mine alone," Duterte said during a televised address Monday.

Duterte admitted that the illegal drug trade remains a problem in the country, citing the involvement of foreign drug cartels. Around 200 to 300 drug suspects are arrested daily which Duterte claimed showed how "pernicious" the problem is in the country.

"Convince these people na nasa listahan to stop kasi sabihin mo maghinto kayo o kaya baka mamatay kayo (Convince these people in the list to stop. Tell them to stop otherwise you might die). That is the proper way of doing things," Duterte told rights groups, referring to the country's drug situation report.

"Instead of going after us who are enforcing the law, do not threaten us with imprisonment and investigation because you are trying to pin down an individual, maybe out of bigotry. Pero kami, we are here, we are trying to save a nation," he said.

Duterte said the narcotics trade remained a "worldwide business," adding the Sinaloa cartel and Bamboo Triad are the country's "enemies." He claimed that these drug syndicates have established factories for illegal drugs in different places.

Duterte said that the illegal drug problem has been raised by the government as a "national security matter.” He said this was the reason the military has been mobilized to help the police force in fighting elements involved in the narcotics trade.

"It is a national security, it is now the welfare of the state that’s at stake. That is why hindi lang ito trabaho ng mga pulis, eh national security," he said.

The President also reminded the military and the police to "follow the law" while performing their duties. He said the only time they are allowed to kill is "when your life is in danger."

But Duterte told the government forces not to be afraid of the threats from rights groups, assuring them he will continue to support them.

"Kaya kayong mga sa military, Armed Forces, help us because we are being flooded with drugs. Our enemy is the and the Bamboo Triad. And of course, our enemy also includes human rights. They are out to discredit, they are out to send to prison somebody who is doing his work," he said.

Duterte also affirmed that he won't back down from carrying out the war on illegal drugs in the country.

"Walang mangyayari sa bayan ko, p. 'Pag umatras ako, walang mangyayari sa Pilipinas sa panahon ko. Gawain ninyo iyan sa hindi na ako Presidente pero huwag ninyong gawain talaga sa ano…(Nothing will happen to my country, son of a b. If I back out, nothing will happen to the Philippines during my term. You can do it when I'm no longer the President but don't do it during my time)," he said.