“This is not the end, and we need the public’s level of awareness as far as the war on drugs to remain high so that people will cooperate”.
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Police protection given to judges and politicians in the list was ordered lifted, and their gun licenses were revoked as well.
He read the list out loud Sunday at a wake for soldiers killed in recent fighting with communist insurgents in southern Davao City, which transformed from a crime-filled city to a bustling business hub during the 22 years Duterte served as its mayor.
“All military and police who are attached to these people, I’m giving you 24 hours to report to your mother unit or I will whack you”, he said.
“If you show the slightest violence in the resistance, I will tell the police, “Shoot them”, he told reporters and soldiers in Davao.
The Inquirer newspaper said one judge named by Mr Duterte as an alleged protector of the illegal drugs trade had been dead for eight years.
During his first State of the Nation address July 25, Duterte said that the government would not stop until “the last drug lord, the last financier, and the last pusher had surrendered or [been] put behind bars or below the ground”. The rest were mostly town mayors and police officers. He also cancelled the firearms licences of those he named.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government said more names of public officials, including congressmen, governors and even barangay captains involved in illegal drugs would soon be announced.
Andanar said the list has always been in existence during the past presidencies, but was revealed for the first time last Sunday, by President Duterte, in line with the priority he has given to the anti-drug campaign and his solid commitment to ensure its success.
Duterte, who earned 6.6 million more votes than his closest competitor in the presidential election and took office on June 30, gained support by promising to wage a fierce war on crime in a country previously plagued by corruption among law enforcement agents. Thousands of people have surrendered to the police, some even before he took office, from fear of being killed.
On Tuesday, Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. surrendered after being accused of links to the illegal drug trade. “I am removing their operational authority over them”.
“It won’t happen during my watch”.
“You can’t pay? I’ll bring you a police and will let them ask why you can’t pay [you taxes]”.
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“I will not hesitate to arrest you”, added Duterte, who has criticized the mining industry for the critical damage caused on the environment.
