In COVID-19 briefing, Duterte claims millions fewer drug users

October 20 ------ President Rodrigo Duterte claimed Monday night that the number of drug users in the country dropped by millions under his administration even as he admitted that the Philippines remains “in the thick of the fight against shabu.” In his weekly national address on the government’s COVID-19 response, Duterte once again put the spotlight on the country’s drug problem.

Citing a recent report by the Dangerous Drugs Board, Duterte said 1.67 million Filipinos aged 10 to 69 are current users of illegal drugs. “In the past, ‘yung panahon nina [Ronald] Dela Rosa umabot na ng almost 4 million and how much has been reduced in the use of shabu, I really do not know until now, but we are still in the thick of the fight against shabu,” he said.

Last month, the Human Rights Watch reported that drug war killings went up by 50 percent even amid the coronavirus pandemic. Duterte reiterated that he is willing to be held accountable for blood spilled under his war. “You can hold me responsible for anything, any death that has occurred in the execution of the drug war, pero ‘wag ninyo akong bintangan diyan sa patayan na hindi ninyo alam kung sino ang pumatay,” he said, denying involvement in vigilante killings.

“Payag ako, just charge with the correct indictment. ‘Wag ‘yung basta basta lang kayo magsabi na ‘crime against humanity.’ Kailangan pa naging humanity itong p— inang mga drugs na ito.” Duterte claimed in a televised address earlier this month that he had never committed murder nor asked anyone to kill. Meanwhile, the President also called on parents to be more involved in their children’s lives to save them from drug addiction. “Parents should have also a shared responsibility. Dapat kayo rin ang masisi nito kung… pinabayaan ninyo. Check on your children. Always supervise, check kasi diyan ninyo mapangalagaan ang kapakanan ng anak ninyo,” he said.

Source: gmanetwork.com