Duterte’s Independence Day promise: Freedom from illegal drugs

KAWIT, Cavite – President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he will continue to “destroy” the drug apparatus to free the country from the problem of illegal drugs.

Duterte said it “has become a very serious problem,” so he warned anew that his brutal war against narcotics would be unrelenting.

“Drugs will destroy my country. Do not do it because I will destroy you, literally,” he said in his 120th Independence Day speech here.

“You know, kung gusto ninyo talagang marinig, huwag mong sirain ang bayan ko kasi papatayin talaga kita (do not destroy my people because I’m really going to kill you),” he added.

The President said many lives have been destroyed, so he will continue to dismiss criticisms from human rights groups.

“I have seen so many destroyed lives in the name of the altar of greed,” he said, adding that many families have also become “dysfunctional” due to illegal drugs.

“Pag may pamilya kang may isa may tama (If you have a family member who is a drug dependent), your family becomes dysfunctional. Sigurado iyan. Then contaminate another and then you have a society of morons,” he said.

As the chief executive, Duterte said it is his duty to protect Filipinos. More specifically, his mandate is “to preserve the nation and to protect the people.”

“Maintindihan na ninyo (You should understand) why am I so passionate about my advocacy,” he said.

“I’m not expecting any economic miracles. Impossible. I will be humble enough to admit that I can only do so much,” he added. “Pero itong droga tatapusin ko talaga ito (But I will really end this problem on illegal drugs).” /ee