Duterte calls on leaders to suppress drugs, terrorism for development of city, province

President Rodrigo Duterte—Malacañang PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday called on leaders to suppress drugs and terrorism to allow progress in their jurisdictions.

During the joint national and regional task forces to end local communist armed conflict meeting in Oriental Mindoro, Duterte said that he is concerned about two things: drugs and terrorism caused by the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

“I’m worried about two things. Drugs ang (is the) number one pati ‘yung (and the) NPA,” the president shared.

“No meaningful progress can occur, I said, in your city or province kung nandyan ‘yan sila. Gawain mo lahat, lahat, lahat ng kaya mong gawin to suppress itong dalawa: drugs and terrorism perpetrated by the communists. ‘Yan lang ang problema natin,” he added.

(No meaningful progress can occur, I said, in your city or province if they exist. Do everything you can to suppress these two: drugs and terrorism perpetrated by the communists. Those are our only problems.)

According to Duterte, the country may become better anew if his two concerns are quashed.

“We can hurdle it. Maybe, just maybe, we will have a prosperous and beautiful country again,” he said.

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