‘The drugs have lessened’: meet the Davao residents who insist Rodrigo Duterte is the right man to lead Philippines
Duterte won last week’s presidential election in a landslide largely on a pledge to roll out his city’s law-and-order policies nationally.
Life in the slums of Davao became much easier after a fearsome drugs crackdown enforced by mayor-turned president Rodrigo Duterte, awed residents say, offering an insight into what the Philippines can expect under its new leader.
Fernando Totor, who for two decades has scraped by selling coconut wine, used to watch his neighbours in their seaside shantytown openly trade crystal methamphetamine – a hyper-addictive drug known locally as “shabu”.
The drug problem here was huge, it was sickening
“The drug problem here was huge, it was sickening,” Totor, 55, said as glassy-eyed men sat on wooden benches at sunset drinking his ultra-cheap drink out of plastic cups. “Now it’s okay. It’s better.”
Totor lives in Isla Verde, a slum for thousands in the southern city of Davao that firebrand lawyer Duterte has ruled as mayor for most of the past two decades.
Duterte won last week’s presidential election in a landslide largely on a pledge to roll out his city’s law-and-order policies nationally.
The controversial and acid-tongued politician captivated millions of Filipinos, and enraged his critics, with vows of ruthless tactics to end crime within six months.
