Philippines President-Elect Duterte Urges Citizens to Shoot Drug Dealers

Drug pusher deaths jump as Philippine leader takes office

[link to www.canadianinquirer.net]

MANILA, Philippines—The bodies of dozens of suspected drug peddlers have turned up in the Philippines in recent weeks, providing an eerie backdrop to the swearing-in on Thursday of Rodrigo Duterte, who has warned of a bloody presidency in his bid to eradicate crime.

Some of the dead were killed in gunfights with police; others mysteriously turned up on the street. One was dumped with sign: “Don’t follow me or you’ll die next.”

The numbers of bodies have spiked since Duterte swept the May 9 elections on promises to wipe out crime and corruption within six months. That bold pledge won him huge support but also sparked concerns about vigilante justice and a lack of due process.

Nicknamed “Duterte Harry” after a Clint Eastwood character with little regard for rules, he says he plans to fulfil his promise despite criticism from human rights advocates and church officials and dares his critics to impeach him.

“If I couldn’t convince you, I’ll have you killed. Just imagine if I kill 10 persons a day for the next six years,” he was quoted as saying by Cebu Daily News in his native Visayan language, referring to drug suspects. “If you’re into drugs, I’m sorry. I’ll have to apologize to your family because you’ll surely get killed.”

So far, the threats seem to be working to some extent: Hundreds of drug pushers and addicts have surrendered to police in recent days, signing pledges to reform.

National police data show 39 mostly drug peddler suspects were killed since the start of the year until the election. But since then, 72 killed have been killed, bringing the yearly total so far to 111 deaths.

Outgoing national police chief Ricardo Marquez dismissed speculation that the spike in deaths was timed to the beginning of Duterte’s presidency, saying he already promised an intensified anti-drug campaign when he took over last year.