President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. INQUIRER PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC
President Rodrigo Duterte has “credible international sources” on his allegations that drug syndicates from Taiwan and Hongkong were behind the proliferation of illegal drugs in the country, Malacañang said on Thursday.
But Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Duterte would only respond “if he finds it necessary” to Taiwan’s request for the Philippine government to provide evidence on allegations that a Taiwan-based syndicate is supplying illegal drugs in the country.
“He (Duterte) has very credible sources, credible international sources,” Abella said when asked about Taiwan’s request.
“That (Taiwan’s request) needs to be brought to the attention of the President and if he finds it necessary, he will respond,” Abella also said.
In a speech on Tuesday at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Duterte said that the “Bamboo Triad”, or United Bamboo Gang, was the organized-crime group that has been supplying illegal drugs to the Philippines.
The following day, Taiwan asked that the Philippine government provide evidence to prove such allegation.
But Abella clarified Duterte was not blaming any country.
“As per his interview yesterday, I think he has TV interview yesterday, he did say that he was not blaming any particular country but that was (the) organized-crime, that was behind all these drug trafficking, and he did refer to Bamboo Triad,” Abella said in a Palace briefing.
“Nationalities. Hindi niya sinabing bansa (He did not say country),” he added.
The Palace official said the Bamboo Triad was not government-sponsored.
“I’m assuming that the Bamboo Triad was of Chinese ethnicity. They’re maybe Chinese nationals, but they are not government-sponsored. I think that was what has to be clear,” he said./kga