DAVAO CITY—President-elect Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday issued shoot-to-kill orders to police officers and ordinary citizens against suspected criminals resisting arrest. He then raised the bounty for drug lords to P5 million.
“Ang bayad ko ngayon, pag drug lord, mag-announce na ko, P5 million pag patay. Kung buhay, P4,999,000 lang (I’ll pay P5 million for a dead drug lord. If alive, only P4,999,000),” Duterte told a crowd of around 500,000 during his victory party at Crocodile Park here.
Duterte had earlier said he would pay P3 million for every drug lord killed or arrested.
But the incoming president also brought smiles to the faces of ordinary citizens who would benefit from his promise to use all the earnings of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) for health services and education.
“I will commit all earnings sa Pagcor which runs to billions. Ibigay sa mga ospital, para sa hospitalization (Give it to the hospitals),” Duterte said.
Gambling funds
He also vowed to allot Pagcor funds for education.
“Dito sa education, I will endeavor to build national high schools. No need to walk 30 kilometers to go to school; ako mismo magdala ng eskuwelahan (For education, I will bring the schools to them myself.),” he said.
But the war on drugs is his priority.
In his speech, the tough-talking mayor said he would offer P2 million as bounty for every “distributor” of drugs killed. A smaller bounty would be offered for arrested drug distributors.
For the capture of “small time” drug peddlers, he offered P50,000.
President elect Rodrigo Duterte delivers his speech during the thanksgiving party held at Crocodile Park, Ma-a, Davao City, June 4, 2016.PHOTO BY EDWIN BACASMAS
In his profanity-laced speech, Duterte urged citizens to apprehend drug traffickers in their communities, saying they could shoot drug traffickers if they resisted arrest and put people’s lives in danger.
“Feel free to call us, or do it yourself if you have a gun. I support you. If he fights and fights to death, you can kill them,” he said.
Medals for citizens
Duterte said he would even award medals to citizens who arrest drug traffickers.
“In an arrest, you have to overcome the resistance of a criminal. And if he (the suspect) resists, you can kill him,” Duterte said. “If lumaban at may baril, barilin mo; I will give you a medal. And if you do it every day, gawin kitang chief ng PC (If he fights back and has a gun, shoot him, I’ll make you chief of the PC [Philippine Constabulary]),” he said.
In previous pronouncements, Duterte gave police officers “shoot to kill” orders against resisting criminals.