Duterte to bets in barangay polls: Same policy vs illegal drugs apply to you

April 13, 2018

President Rodrigo Duterte warned on Friday those who will be running in the upcoming barangay elections there will be zero tolerance on their involvement on illegal drugs.

In a press conference at the Davao Airport shortly after his arrival from Hong Kong, Duterte cautioned those engaged in narcotics not to help his administration of attaining complete elimination of illegal drugs at the expense of their lives.

"(J)ust a warning to whoever is running now, the same policy will apply to you. And the same strategy that I am adopting is good until the end of my term to the very last day," he said.

Duterte asked Congress to suspend the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections twice on concern that the drug syndicates might fill in their own candidates and do everything for their bets to win. He was worried that this could worsen the proliferation of illegal drugs in the country.

But this time, he said it would be up to the lawmakers if the local polls would push through in May.

While the House of Representatives again moved for the postponement of the polls, there was no action in the Senate. The Commission on Elections has been preparing for the May elections.

Duterte said he told Congress that the problem on illegal drugs is not fully controlled yet.

"But there is a lessening. I said, (at the rate it is going), it's about six," he said.

"But you know, my job is to see to it that there is no scale to use the danger of drugs. If possible zero," he added.

Duterte warned the drug addicts not to help him achieve his goal of totally eliminating illegal drugs at the expense of their lives.

"You drug addicts, do not help me attain my objective at the expense of your lives. They don't know the game there. If I can attain my ambition of zero and it could cost your life or your liberty for that matter because the police and military will be active against you, (so be it)," he said.

But he was quick to say what the police and the military would do would be just "plain law enforcement."

"I'm just making a warning," he added.

Duterte has been criticized for his bloody war on drugs. He is also facing a preliminary examination by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court following a complaint of crimes against humanity for the thousands of people killed due to his war on drugs. Celerina Monte/DMS