Duterte threatens to kill 6 Cagayan drug suspects

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to kill at least six major drug suspects in Cagayan province before his term ends as part of his bloodier war on narcotics.

The President issued the threat in Tuguegarao City where he spoke at the campaign rally of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan on Tuesday night.

“You are a major, major problem. I will take you down first, to be honest. If you don’t want others to get to me first,” he said.

“But if not, I will take down all of you. I have three years. Here in Cagayan, there are six big ones here. And I will take down all of them,” he added.

The drug suspects operated not only in Cagayan but also in Baguio and Mountain Province, the President said.

Situation underestimated

Saying he would not allow the country to become a “failed state,” the President vowed in February to wage a “bloodier” war on drugs until 2022.

On Tuesday, he admitted that he underestimated the situation when he promised in 2016 to end the drug problem in six months.

When he learned that even police generals were involved in the narcotics trade, the President said he decided to take out the policemen first.

“I had the policemen killed first. Sons of bitches, many police officials have died already,” he said. —Julie M. Aurelio