Director General Ronald Dela Rosa at the start of a hearing investigating drug-related killings, at the Senate headquarters in Pasay city, metro Manila, August 22, 2016.
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In his address, Duterte announced a 2 million pesos ($43,000) bounty for each police officer who are protecting drug lords in his unrelenting anti-illegal drugs campaign that saw close to 2,000 killed since he took office June 30.
“I dedicate in front of the fearless Filipino soldiers who died for us and I will continue to honor them and this message I have imparted to the soldiers and police, you will have my support, you will have all the things to fight criminals”, the President said.
Duterte added that he wants the police and army to destroy the drug apparatus, and warned other government officials involved in drug activities that they will also get their comeuppance.
His remarks came after various United Nations officials, including Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in June condemned his apparent support for extra-judicial killings.
“Claims to fight the illicit drug trade do not absolve the government from its worldwide legal obligations and do not shield state actors or others from responsibility for illegal killings”, U.N. Special Rapporteur on summary executions Agnes Callamard said in a statement this month.
He later apologised for his remarks.
On Monday, however, Duterte reiterated his support, saying he would protect government forces from criminal liability if they carry out his campaign. “He is following it”. “I did not drop barrel [bombs] just like [Syrian leader Bashar] Assad”, Duterte underlined, and then referred to similar atrocities committed by Daesh extremists, who he referred to as “idiots”. “My God, we will be together in hell”.
Earlier this week, Dela Rosa told senators that over 750 people had been killed by police in anti-drug operations while more than a thousand had been slain by shadowy figures.
Duterte, 71, won May elections in a landslide on a promise to kill tens of thousands of suspected criminals to prevent the Philippines from becoming a narco-state.
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“We urge the people to rally behind this national campaign and help the PNP cleanse its ranks of members who have betrayed the public trust”, he said.
