Since the Duterte administration took over in 2016, the
opposition has made leaps and bounds in trying to discredit him not only
locally but internationally.
In the 56th Anniversary of the Philippine Constitution
Association (PHILCONSA) at the Manila Hotel last September 26, 2017.
President
Rodrigo Duterte set the record straight on the correct number of casualties in
his administration’s brutal and
relentless war on drugs, he further said that the international community is
being fed bloated numbers/figures pursued by the opposition into Philippine
media.
“Now, count the number of Filipinos, children,
mothers, and fathers killed since the advent of drugs. And they vary in number,
(saying) that we killed 10,000 or 12,000,” the President said during the 56th
Anniversary of the Philippine Constitution Association (PHILCONSA) at the
Manila Hotel on September 26, 2017.
 |
| file photo(photo credit to owner) |
“Where do you get the facts? You must be
idiots. You’re just reading newspaper and say, ‘This Duterte is a killer,’” he
said.
“Or you rely on the bias of your
representatives because the opposition gave it to them. That has always been…
the issue. Even when I was mayor,” he added.
Various media groups have said the number of
deaths in the war on drugs has reached 13,000, but Duterte disputed this.
He said in his first year as President, the number
of anti-drug operations has reached 70,854, with a total of 3,811 deaths.
“These are legitimate encounters duly
recorded,” he said.
He said the number of police officers killed
during operations has reached 85, while those wounded number 215.
Soldiers killed in drug-related operations
number 146, while those wounded number 2,592.
The President said other countries appear to
doubt the official government figures.
“Now, there are some countries which are
insulting us to open our records to them, everything. Who are you to do that to
my country? If you don’t believe our records, then go out and find something
else to do. We do not fabricate,” he said.
“And you say that we are killing our own
countrymen? For what reason? ‘You enjoy slaughtering your own countrymen’?” he
added.
*
Despite his strong stance against drugs,
Duterte continues to enjoy broad support from Filipinos.
A recent survey by the Pew Research Center
showed that around 78 percent of Filipinos approve of the way he has been
handling of the illegal drugs issue, with 62 percent believing the government’s
campaign was making progress.
The survey also showed 86 percent had a
favorable view of him.
Report from PNA.gov.ph
0 comments