Duterte eyes Bilibid reform, to make drug traders eat their cellphones

MANILA — President Duterte said on Wednesday, he would force drug dealers inside the National Bilibid Prison to eat the plastic parts of their cellphones.

The President said he would focus on prison reforms after the resolution of the Marawi crisis, adding that Chinese drug dealers have returned to business at the national penitentiary.

“Ito, I don’t know if it’s edible, maybe the plastic. If I still see plastic there, that’s what you’ll eat for the day. You won’t eat any rice,” Mr. Duterte said.

He said drug dealers have been using their cellphones for the drug trade.

“This is the capital,” President Duterte said, holding his cellphone.

“And I have to be frank…mostly Chinese. If a cellphone is brought inside, it’s really business,” he added.

Mr. Duterte said that if he could not solve the drug problem, “no one else can.”

“I’m the only one who can say in front, ‘Kill’….Who else can do that?…and afterwards (say, ‘He) fought back,” he added in jest.

At one point, President Duterte reminded policemen to only kill suspects who would resist arrest and fight back.  And then he joked in Tagalog, “If the suspect refuses to fight, make him fight you anyway,” eliciting laughter from the audience.  SFM