Duterte vows to ‘wipe out’ drug gangs by end of term

CEBU CITY—President Duterte has warned those involved in illegal drugs that the last three years of his administration will be “the most dangerous.”

In a speech at the rally of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, Mr. Duterte vowed to wipe out all illegal drug syndicates at the end of his term.

“I still have three years. They will be wiped out,” he told a crowd of 10,500 people gathered at Plaza Independencia on Sunday night.

“Those who are into illegal drugs … I will make it very, very dangerous for you to live,” he added.

US intelligence forecast

The President claimed that in the 1990s, US intelligence made a forecast that the Philippines may become a narcostate due to the illegal drug trade in the country.

“I will not allow that our nation will become a failed state,” he said as the crowd cheered.

He also mentioned that the war on narcotics would be relentless in the coming days when he spoke before 1,500 beneficiaries of the government’s unconditional cash transfer program.

Cash gifts

Before the President graced the rally at Plaza Independencia, he was at Cebu Technological University (CTU) to distribute cash gifts to the beneficiaries of the cash transfer program.

“Here in Cebu, the problem has not died down. So be careful, especially in Talisay City. Please do not destroy my country because I will kill you,” he said in a speech at CTU.

“To the Commission on Human Rights, don’t ever help,” he added.