President Duterte said he had opted not to run after syndicates involved in illicit gambling to allow the police to concentrate on the government’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs.
In a speech in Malacañang on Sunday night, he said personalities behind the illegal drug trade would eventually take over a “gambling network” once it was dismantled.
“That’s why I’m not hitting (illegal) gambling now. Why? Because everyone will be off-focused, including the police,” Mr. Duterte told the gathering of his former classmates from San Beda College of Law.
“Instead of focusing on drugs, this time our personnel, the warm bodies would be stretched thin. If I focus on other things, what would happen?” he said.
Past administrations had launched a crackdown on jueteng, an illegal numbers game, but efforts to curb it proved futile due to collusion between corrupt local government officials and police officers.
The President admitted that he may still face other law enforcement issues even if he would be successful in ending the problem on illegal drugs within the first six months of his presidency as he had promised during the campaign.
He said the important thing was to destroy the “network” of the criminal syndicates. “I cannot let it pass. My enemies would double in numbers.”
Mr. Duterte said the public was not aware of the severity of the drug problem until he openly discussed the issue during the campaign.
“Look at the dimension (of the problem). Those surrendering are by the thousands. Could you imagine the number? I’m sure not. Why? Because then I’m sure you did not know how widespread (the problem is). It’s terrifying,” he said.