President Rodrigo Duterte apologized to all those affected by his campaign against illegal drugs as he denied the authorities’ involvement in the “dirty job” of extrajudicial killings hounding his administration.
“I’m really very sorry to all… Hindi naman I’m sorry for the decision but I’m sorry for those na tinamaan,” Duterte said in a speech delivered during the awarding ceremony of the 9th Belenismo 2016 in Tarlac City on Sunday, December 11.
Still, Duterte defended his war on drugs, saying that “this is a matter of survival” for the country.
“Simple lang ‘to. Huminto lang kayong lahat sa droga, tapos na,” Duterte said.
“I’m getting a lot of flak, criticism and all. I can understand. I can understand the church. I can understand the libertarians. I can understand the bleeding hearts.”
The president stressed he does not allow extrajudicial executions, pointing out that there had been such cases reported even before the elections.
“We will, I will address the problems of extrajudicial killing. It is not our job. Maniwala kayo.”
Police data show that a total of more than 5,000 suspected people have been killed nationwide since the government launched its war on drugs in July. Many of the victims were gunned down in streets by vigilantes, while some were wrapped in plastic and dumped.
“We do not do that. It’s a dirty job. At saka para kang hindi lalaki. Talian mo, balutin mo, it’s a form of torture… Hindi trabaho ng pulis iyan pati sundalo. Bakit mo balutin eh di patayin mo na lang? We are not producing mummy,” he said.
On criticisms from local and international groups about his brutal anti-drug campaign, the president said: “Iyang batikos nila sa akin, tama iyan.”
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“Kasi ang pulis ang order ko kasi sa pulis ganito, pati sa military, hanapin mo sila, arestuhin mo kung kaya pa, pagka lumaban at may armas o anuman that could place the life of the police or military man, pati siya madadamay sa kamatayan, unahan na ninyo. That’s my order,” he continued.
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Still, even as the issue of extrajudicial killings hound his administration, Duterte said the war on drugs will continue.
“Patawarin n’yo po ako, talagang hindi ako pwedeng mawalan ng momentum dito (war on drugs).”
The post Duterte Says Sorry to Those Affected by War on Drugs appeared first on Manila Bulletin.
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