MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte said the final three years of his presidential term will be the “most dangerous” time for people involved in the illegal drug trade.
In a speech during PDP-Laban’s campaign rally on Sunday night in Cebu City, Duterte reaffirmed his pledge to continue his administration’s war on drugs until his term ends in 2022.
“Consider my term, the last three years as the most dangerous years for people who are into drugs either pusher, trafficker, or drug lord,” Duterte said. “Basta nasa droga ka I will make it very, very dangerous for you to live. Danger talaga.”
He added: “Kaya magharap tayo. Kaya ito…may tatlong taon pa akong naiwan. ‘Pag hindi ninyo ako napatay, itong remaining na tatlong taon ko…uubusin ko talaga kayo.”
The President also said the illegal drug trade was widespread in the province of Cebu as he mentioned anew Daanbantayan mayor Vicente Loot, whom he had linked to the illegal drug trade.
“Itong problema sa droga, kahit itong Cebu kasama. Walang exemption. Grabe pa dito kasi mga big time na negosyante pa ang involved,” Duterte said. “‘Yang si Loot…military ka, gastos ng gobyerno ‘yung edukasyon mo, tapos you commit a treason against your own people.”
Duterte war on drugs was condemned heavily as it has already killed more than 5,000 drug suspects, based on government data, since Duterte took office in 2016.
Duterte is facing two communications in connection with the drug war before the International Criminal Court, which opened in February last year a preliminary examination to determine whether it has jurisdiction over the matter and if a full-blown investigation would serve the interest of justice and of the victims./PN
