Duterte mocks Robredo proposal to decriminalize drug use

President Rodrigo Duterte answers questions from the media at the Malacañang grounds. NESTOR CORRALES/INQUIRER.net

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday laughed off the proposal of Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo to study the possible decriminalization of drug use in the Philippines, following example of Portugal, which made the radical decision of decriminalizing drug use in 2001.

“Pareho ‘yan ng UE? Ay EU. Ayoko ng EU. Alam mo… Pagmagalit kasi ako ganun,” Duterte said referring to the European Union.

Like Robredo, the EU also made a proposal for a “health-based” approach to the Philippines’ drug problem, which Duterte has rejected.

READ: Duterte rejects EU’s ‘health-based’ solution to drug problem

“Ano ‘yan eh, ang suggestion nila magtayo ako ng mga clinic dito sa Maynila tapos ako na ang mag-suplay ng shabu, cocaine. Si Robredo naman ‘uy,” he said.

(Their suggestion is for me to build clinics in Manila, and then just supply the cocaine. That Robredo.)

READ: Why not decriminalize drug use? VP urges gov’t to study Portugal move

Duterte’s brutal crackdown on illegal drugs has received global criticisms but the chief executive was frim on his promise to stop the narcotics trade in the Philippines. IDL