Duterte to warlords: Private armies can’t save you

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday warned mayors and governors to stop getting involved in illegal drugs, warning them that he would not hesitate to order the Army — and even the Air Force — to “blow them up.”

“I’m really warning you. Don’t say that you have a (private) army. That will not really help you. Just look. Even if you have 100 or 200 armed men, it will not really help you,” Mr. Duterte said in a press briefing at Malacañang.

“Why would you fight (with) me? I have 12 (FA-50) jets. I can have five of them bomb you. I will really use the force of the government, (against you),” he stressed.

Duterte said he had warned all the mayors and governors in the country when he met them in Malacañang earlier this year “not to go against the government.”

“I will use the (arsenals of) government because I have to protect the people…I will not hesitate (to do so),” the President said.

‘Gangsters’

The President also tagged the Parojinog political clan in Ozamiz City as “gangsters” involved in illegal drugs and killing of their political foes and critics.

Mr. Duterte said the Parojinogs had become gangsters who “controlled everything including ‘shabu’ (methamphetamine hydrochloride)” trade in their area.

A predawn police raid on the houses of the Parojinogs last July 30 left Ozamiz Mayor Reynaldo “Aldong” Parojinog Sr. and 15 others dead.

The Philippine National Police has maintained that there was firefight, contrary to claims of some witnesses, and that the policemen could not do anything but defend themselves.

“This Parojinog family became gangsters and controlled everything, including shabu, and they killed many policemen there in Ozamiz who did not follow them,” Mr. Duterte said.

“They killed about four or five. Then no one could speak or criticize (them after). Even the radio (stations) there became quiet,” he added.

The President said he had told local government officials that going into illegal drugs was like “insulting” the government.

“So I really said my order is, ‘Blow them up.’ If there’s a mistake, sorry,” Mr. Duterte added.