MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday expressed hope that his successor would continue his controversial war against illegal drugs, saying he is worried that the drug problem would make a resurgence.
“Itong drugs, I hope that whoever would sit as President, would continue this — if not the ferocity that I did, and I accept it, maski man lang ‘yung a little lower than my standard,” he said in a taped public address aired on Tuesday morning.
(I hope that whoever sits as President would continue the initiative — if not the ferocity that I did, maybe just a little lower than my standard.)
“Kasi talagang sisirain ang bayan natin. I am very worried of the resurgence of the drug problem,” he added.
(Because it will destroy our country. I am very worried about the resurgence of the drug problem.)
He said the continuation of the campaign against illegal drugs would protect the next generation because “they will have a serious problem in their hands” if the drug problem is not mitigated.
“Kung ganito katindi ang pamamalakad nila, kung hindi sabayan ng katindi ng resolve, matatalo ka,” he added.
(If the drug problem is so serious now, if you don’t meet it with as much intensity, you will lose.)
Duterte earlier said he will never apologize for the fatalities that resulted from his administration’s bloody war on drugs.
In Tuesday’s televised public address, he reiterated that he instructed policemen to avoid getting killed in police operations.
“Sabi ko sa police, ‘wag kayo magpauna,” he said.
(I told the police that they should not let themselves be killed.)
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