President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. ALBERT ALCAIN/Presidential Photo
MANILA — Is President Duterte contradicting himself on the issue of drug killings yet again?
After saying he never ordered summary executions, Mr. Duterte on Monday night said the extrajudicial killings of drug suspects in the country would only stop if people involved in the narcotics trade would refrain from their illicit activities.
“They say there have been a lot of killings, ‘salvaging’ and extrajudicial killings. You want this to end? It’s simple. All drug users should stop,” the President said at the oath-taking ceremony of the People’s National Movement for Federalism.
“Stop it and there will be a very peaceful New Year and Christmas,” he added. “You must stop. If you stop, you will never hear any reaction from me.”
Moments before his speech, the President said at the awarding rites of The Outstanding Filipino that he was “not a killer.”
“I do not relish or enjoy a Filipino sprawled there with all the blood,” he said. “You know every time I decide on things to buy guns and bullets, there is always in my mind that these things would be used against the Filipinos.”
The President said he was still keen on making the streets across the country free from drug addicts and petty criminals despite the criticisms from human rights groups and religious organizations.
He then asked the priests to leave their churches and go to the communities and reach out to drug dependents in need of rehabilitation and treatment.
Said Mr. Duterte: “To the critics, you’re better off going to the neighborhood and finding out who are hooked on drugs. To the priests, spend time with the people and find out who are affected.”
“You are better off giving them advice how to seek treatment,” he said. SFM