Kill drug suspects if your lives at stake, Duterte tells law enforcers

December 3, 2020

By Ella Dionisio

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday told law enforcers to do their job in accordance with the law and only kill drug suspects if their lives are at stake.

“Do not kill intentionally or... that is murder but if it (suspect) has gun, shoot them… That’s  my only message. Don’t be afraid,” Duterte said during his speech at the destruction of more than P7 billion worth of illegal drugs in Trece Martires, Cavite.

“That is my guidance to you. As far as you can, do it in accordance with law but if the suspect came at you first, kill them. One less idiot in this world,” he added.

Duterte told law enforcers to always be street smart, alert and brave.

“Just do your job well and I will thank you,” he said.

Duterte also assured them that he is ready to face trial over the alleged drug abuses and killing during his time.

“I salute you for your undying patriotic fervor. I salute you because you understand the problem and because you worry about your country. I salute you because we are all in the government and we protect each other, and I will protect you,” Duterte said.

“I will assume full legal responsibility… I will be the one to face them after my presidency,” he said.

Duterte again lashed back at the UN Human Rights, saying his order still remains on killing drug suspects and he does not care about them.

Duterte said police should kill drug suspects if they caught them in the act of pulling their guns so that they can protect their lives.

“You know human rights, as I’ve said before, you are preoccupied with the health and life of the criminals and drug pushers and the drug lords. Me as mayor and now as president, I have to protect every man, woman, and child from the evils of drugs,” he said.

“The game here is killing because you see, a lot of my police personnel were killed…  Any overt act, even in the act of pulling… even if you don’t see the gun, if that hand riddles into the waist… That’s gun and all drug suspects have guns that’s why to this day I say to the human rights, I don’t give shit with you, my order is still the same,” he said.

Duterte reiterated that families are being affected once one of their members are addicted to illegal drugs.

“That’s why I don’t care about human rights… I’m telling the law enforcements, do your duty, do it in accordance with law but be alert and be wise,” Duterte said.

According to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), since the start of the Duterte administration, a total of 5, 942 persons have died in 183, 525 anti-illegal drug operations.

In today's event, PDEA destroyed P7, 510,840,985.32 worth of assorted illegal drugs.

PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva said the activity was made in compliance with the requirements of the law on the custody and disposition of seized dangerous drugs, chemicals, and laboratory equipment.

“More importantly, the destruction was in response to the President’s directive to immediately destroy all shabu evidence, residual or otherwise, to avoid recycling,” Villanueva said.

This is the third time they destroyed seized illegal drugs. DMS