Duterte mulls ‘stopgap measure’ to stem rise of drug users

“We cannot build a nation over the dead bodies of our own citizens.”

President Rodrigo Duterte has detailed his plan to use military camps as temporary drug rehabilitation centers.

“I said we cannot build a nation by killing people over the bodies of your fellow citizens. But I’ll have to control. So iyong sira na (Those that are in poor condition), you have to check with them if they are talagang ma-resuscitate pa (if they can still be resuscitated), ‘ika nga. Lagay na lang natin sa diyan (Let’s just send them there),” Duterte said in his speech during the oath-taking of officers of the league of cities and provinces on Wednesday night.

The President said he has to come up with a “stopgap measure” which is viable amid thousands of drugs addicts surrendering to the government.

“Mahirap ang labanan na ‘to. Kaya timely talagang punta kayo dito because I knew or I know that there is not so much space. Kaya sabi ko sa military, the Armed Forces, to open up their camps,” he said.

“‘Yung recalcitrant or those guys na ayaw talagang magpakulong o hindi na, it’s no longer of service to humanity because they are…padala na lang natin doon,” he said.

(This is a difficult fight. So it is really timely to come here because I know that there is not so much space. So I told the military, the Armed Forces, to open up their camps.

(Those who are recalcitrant or refuse to be locked up, then let it be, it’s no longer of service to humanity…so let’s just send them there.)

READ: AFP welcomes Duterte’s plan to use camps as drug rehab centers

But Duterte said there is no stopping him in his all-out war against drugs, criminality and corruption.

He said the “drug crisis” in the Philippines has become a “serious problem.”

The President vowed to crush those involved in illegal activities.

“I said I have to destroy the apparatus and it’s a very cruel game in this world na you earn a living at the expense of your fellowmen,” he said.

“So, how do you do it? Eh ‘di ang apparatus. Sirain mo talaga ang apparatus. Hanggang maubos, wala kang magawa,” he added.

(So how do you do it? Destroy the apparatus, then no more can be done.)

He said those involved in illegal activities must be held accountable for their actions.

The Chief Executive said the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) had told him there were three million drug addicts in the country as of two years ago.

He reiterated that he was willing to stake his honor, life and even the presidency to fulfill his promise to end the illegal drugs trade in the country.

He said that the police cannot solve the problem alone as some of them are involved in the illegal activity.

“The police cannot solve it. They are into it,“ he said.

In the country, he said “the essence of fear to violate a law” has long been gone and justice could now easily be bought especially by drug lords.

“Kasi nabibili na eh. With the short, corrosive effect of money, kayang bilihin, sad to say, hanggang sa itaas. Hindi matapos ang problema eh. May protector,” he said.

(It’s because it can be bought. With the short, corrosive effect of money, [justice] can be bought, sad to say, all the way to the top. The problem doesn’t end because there are protectors.)

“So they can buy, you know, judges, fiscals, the police, mayors, governors, ganon talaga eh, pera (that’s the way it is, money talks),” he added.

But Duterte vowed that there would be no let-up to end these illegal activities.

“What’s really pushing me to move is my love for my country,” he said. CDG/rga