Duterte turns down EU offer for “health-based” solution for drug dependents

March 24, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte turned down on Friday the offer of the European Union for a "health-based" solution for drug dependents.

"The EU, they communicated to us and they want a health-based solution for drugs," the president said in a speech before the Filipino Chinese businessmen in Pasay City.

He said the EU wants the Philippines to build clinics for drug addicts instead of arresting or putting them in prison, just like other countries.

EU Ambassador to Manila Franz Jessen earlier said EU would be helping the Philippines on its war on drugs by funding rehabilitation centers. EU has been criticizing Duterte's bloody war on illegal drugs, which resulted in the death of allegedly over 7,000 drug suspects.

"If you want shabu, they will inject you or give you shabu then you go out then if you want marijuana, there's a place there. Government-sponsored idiotic exercise. Then if you want cocaine until kingdom come, until they are crazy like the four million contaminated (in the Philippines)," Duterte said.

Duterte said he could not allow these drug dependents, whose brain shrunk through continuous use of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, to continue.

"Who will answer for this? Who will answer for those who died? The 77 children almost everyday you look at the papers, a child one year, two years, three years raped and killed. Who will now answer for this? EU? The United Nations? The Human Rights Commission? How about the lives of the innocent killed because of shabu?," Duterte said.

He also cited those who were held up and killed by those who were under the influence of drugs.

"Who will answer for that injustice?...Son of a bitch, you are worrying about - it's not 10,000 (those who were killed in drug war), I will place it at 2 for those who resisted arrest and were killed. I will answer for that. I will take the consequences. My order was arrest them if possible but if they confront you with a violent resistance and if you think that you will die, son of a bitch, kill them," Duterte said.

Duterte recalled the massive killings in Europe in the early 1900s.

"Were the consciences of their forefathers better than their conscience now? It’s easy to criticize, it’s easy to point out mistakes. My God, you trace your history," he said, adding that Europeans have also blood in their hands.

"Why are you suggesting a stupid solution? Imagine putting shabu and marijuana. What would happen to this country?," he said

Duterte reiterated the war on drugs will continue until the end of his term.

"This drug war will continue until the last drug lord is killed and the pusher taken out of the streets," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS