Duterte dares critics: Go ahead, impeach me

President Rodrigo Duterte (INQUIRER PHOTO)

DAVAO CITY—President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday dared critics threatening to impeach him to go ahead, reiterating that he had no illusions about the presidency.

“‘Yang mga impeachment- impeachment diyan (those who threaten me with impeachment), go ahead,” he said, “Wala akong problema, matanda na ako (I don’t have any problem, I’m already old) and besides, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth,” he said.

Duterte said it was difficult to be President that “If I’ll be made to repeat it, I no longer want it.”

“Maybe, I’ll be the first President to commit suicide,” he said in jest before a nationwide gathering of policewomen in Davao City.

“Kasi, akala n’yo palasyo (Because you think it’s a Palace), with security na palaging sumusunod sa iyo (that keeps following you),” Duterte said in an over an hour’s talk with the police, where he kept lashing at the United States and human rights institutions for interfering in his war against drugs, as he gloated over the support of the semi- authoritarian states such as Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.

“From those countries who separated from their colonizers, they’ve been doing well,” he said, “Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, kakampi natin sila (they’re with us), pati na ang (including the) Chinese,” he said, “They are supporting our war against drugs.”