MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday promised to get rid of the so-called “ninja cops,” saying they would all die because they have a “sin to the nation.”
“Yung mga generals pati yung mga (The generals including the) ninja cops, and they are still around but they are reduced to about four…, and they will die because may kasalanan sila sa bayan (they committed a sin to the nation),” Duterte said in a speech during the oath-taking of newly elected Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Board of Trustees.
The President said he would kill them even if he is no longer in office.
“Ngayon, kung hindi ko sila maabutan, pag hindi na ako mayor, babarilin ko pa rin sila pag nakita ko. Same, whether I’m President or ordinary [citizen], pag nagkita tayo at alam ko galit ka sa akin dahil sa droga ay magbabarilan talaga tayo,” Duterte said. (now if I could not pursue them during my term, I’ll still shoot them once I see them. Whether I’m President or just an ordinary citizen if we see each other and I know you’re mad at me because of my drug campaign we would really shoot at each other.)
It can be recalled that the President has relieved former police chief Oscar Albayalde from his post after the latter was linked to a drug recycling scheme after an anti-drug operation in Pampanga in 2013.
Drug-related deaths
Duterte, meanwhile, admitted there had been deaths related to his war against illegal drugs, but said the number would not reach to 70,000. He did not specify where he got the figure.
“ I will admit [that the police data on drugs has] a semblance of truth. I go by government records. Kung sinabi ng pulis (If the police say so), ‘Duterte ang patayin natin eh (let’s kill) 5,000,’ so be it,” Duterte said.
“We admit it, 5,000 pero huwag yung (but not) 70,000, san ko ilibing yan (where would I bury them)? Hindi lang patay ang libing ang problema kung san ko ilagay… yung sumosobra (where to bury them would be a big problem),” he added.
As of December 2019, drug-related deaths have reached 5,500 as per data from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).