Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. AP FILE PHOTO
Known for his verbal assaults, critics of President Rodrigo Duterte should expect “gallons of curses” from the chief executive if he loses respect for them.
In his speech at the 115th anniversary of the Philippine Coast Guard on Wednesday, Duterte warned his critics for “acting too stupid” and criticizing his government, particularly his war on illegal drugs.
READ: Fidel Ramos turns critic to salvage Philippines-US ties
“If I don’t respect you anymore, be prepared for the worst because I can give you gallons of gallons of epithets, curses,” he said before coast guard officers, foreign diplomats, including United States coast guard and navy officers.
The President has repeatedly launched tirades against the US, the European Union (EU), and the United Nations for criticizing his non-nonsense crackdown on illegal drugs.
The US is a longstanding ally of the Philippines while the EU is a trading partner of the country.
“This is how you treat your friends. You do not go about reprimanding,” he said.
But Duterte said the country’s allies should not go around reprimanding the government.
The chief executive showed a photo of a drug rehabilitation center in Nueva Ecija funded by China.
“If you are a friend, if you are an ally, if you are joined by a Western alliance, you should do this,” he said.
READ: Duterte: China-funded rehab center almost complete
“It’s a dormitory, apartment, bunk houses, and they have built it for us. Ni hi, no ha. No announcement. And it would house 1,600 [surenderers],” he added.
Duterte said the rehabilitation center being built inside the military camp of Fort Magsaysay would be completed by October 15.
“This is how you treat your friends. You do not go about reprimanding,” he said.
The President has said that he wanted to sever ties with the US and go to China or Russia. CBB