Philippine’s President Urged his Citizens to Kill Drug Dealers and Users
Nearly 60,000 Filipino drug addicts have surrendered themselves to the government after President Rodrigo Duterte urged citizens to 'go ahead and kill' drug dealers and users. Mr Duterte, dubbed 'The Punisher', won elections in May and promised a law-and-order crackdown on drugs.
'These sons of w****s are destroying our children. I warn you, don't go into that, even if you're a policeman, because I will really kill you,' the president told an audience during a speech in the country's capital, Manila. Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar said close to 60,000 drug dependents have surrendered to authorities since the administration began its intensified campaign against drugs.
Police have confirmed killing more than 110 drug suspects since the president came to power, while local news reports suggest that figure is around 200. At least 43,000 alleged drug traffickers have been 'neutralised' and 300kg of shabu, a highly addictive methamphetamine, has been confiscated, according to local reports.
President Duterte has warned of widespread bloodshed as part of the government's war on drugs. He vowed on one occasion during the election campaign that 100,000 people would die, and so many bodies would be dumped in Manila Bay that the fish there would grow fat from feeding on them, according to the South China Morning Post.
