“That self-imposed time of three to six months, well, I did not realize how severe and how serious the problem of drug menace in this republic was until I became president”.
Advertisement
The President said that if these candidates at the barangay level – the smallest unit of government in the Philippines – win, “that would be the start of our perdition and agony”.
The country is wracked with so many problems, including kidnappings in Mindanao, terrorism, and illegal drugs, pointed out Duterte, who had repeatedly said he takes full responsibility for his controversial war on the last one.
Duterte was elected in May on the back of violent anti-drug rhetoric that promised to wipe out the country’s illicit drug trade in three to six months.
“I can say we would need time, I said, to put everything in order”.
“Just give me a little extension of maybe another six months”, he said at a media briefing in Davao. He said that with the huge number of people, including government officials, who are involved in the crime, “even if I wanted to, I can not kill them all”. The list reportedly includes many district leaders and mayors.
Duterte also said he supported calls to postpone the upcoming district elections out of concerns that drug money could be used to support the campaigns of officials conspiring with the drug trade.
More than 3,500 people – or about 47 per day – have been killed in the past 10 weeks in connection with the illegal drugs trade, almost two thirds by unknown assailants and the rest in legitimate police operations, according to local police.
“If you think you are afraid of being killed-if you are there in the rural areas where the NPAs [are active]… then do not run for public office; find another occupation”, he said.
New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) last week said the United Nations should look into the drugs war and be allowed to interview witnesses.
Duterte, who was Davao City’s crime busting mayor before, won the presidential elections in May on his anti-drugs platform.
Duterte said he had ordered a “revalidation” of the list of alleged drug personalities, which was available as early as two months ago.
The attacks left around 1,000 people dead.
Advertisement
“We have no information on who’s really behind all of these things”.
