‘I don’t care about human rights’: Philippines’ Duterte acknowledges abuses in drug war but refuses to back down
More than 400 drug suspects have been killed, many of them either in firefights with police or under suspect circumstances while over 4,000 have been arrested
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte acknowledged abuses have occurred in his war on illegal drugs, which has left more than 400 people dead in a month and alarmed rights activists, but refused to back down from a shoot-to-kill order for drug suspects.
Duterte said in a speech late on Thursday that most drug dealers and addicts slain in gunbattles with police had put up a fight, but added that he was sure some were “salvaged”, a local slang for extrajudicial killings usually by law enforcers.
In the case of illegal killings, Duterte said the government will investigate.
My order is shoot to kill you. I don’t care about human rights, you better believe me
“They really fight back, I know that,” Duterte said in a speech in southern Davao city, where he built a name as a mayor for his extra tough approach to crime before becoming president. “I’m sure there are some who were salvaged, I am also sure of that.”
Early on Friday, he told reporters that he gave “shoot-to-kill” orders against drug dealers, including politicians involved in the illicit trade.
“I’ll really have you killed. Look at what you’re doing to the Philippines and I’ll forgive you?” Duterte told reporters, apparently enraged after visiting a town police chief who was shot in the chest by a suspected drug dealer and rushed to a Davao hospital.
“My order is shoot to kill you. I don’t care about human rights, you better believe me,” he said.