Duterte lashes out against critics before Qatar OFWs

President Rodrigo Duterte, speaking before the Filipino community in Qatar at the Lusail Sports Arena, was again crudely critical of his alleged detractors, not mincing his words for ABS-CBN News, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and human-rights defenders.

Neither did he spare the European Union from his ire, reiterating his claim that the EU had suggested the use of substitution drugs to treat methamphethamine or shabu addiction in the Philippines, despite the Union's blunt denial.

Duterte also recounted how he had called former US President Barack Obama a "son of a bitch," and how he had told the ex-US president to "go to hell."

In contrast, Duterte saw President Donald Trump as a kindred spirit, calling the US president a "realist" and a "pragmatic thinker."

Duterte was given a "rock star" reception by some 6,000 members of the Filipino community that gathered at the arena. Many of them held up small Philippine flags, and cheered the President on during his expletive-laden address.

Duterte again centered on his promise to get rid of corruption and illegal drugs in the Philippines.

He again shared how he took key officials out of his government, including former Interior secretary Ismael "Mike" Sueno, who the President said "lied through his teeth" when asked about the legal opinion issued by an undersecretary over the payment of Rosenbauer firetrucks.

Duterte noted his promise to appoint "the brightest" to his Cabinet, many of whom were his friends from as far back as his days in San Beda College.

He said his long-standing relations with many of these officials would not get in the way of his quest against corruption.

"Sinabi ko naman sa kanila, 'Magkaibigan tayo. Magka-roommate tayo.' ... Magkakaibigan tayo, pero ito lang ang ano—the first whiff... 'wag na totoo, maamoy ko lang [a hint of corruption], sorry, sorry talaga," he said.

He assured OFWs they will no longer face repeated opening of bags for inspections at airports, in apparent reference to the so-called "laglag bala" scheme that hounded the past administration.

He also vowed to "stop smuggling," the scheme of holding back balikbayan boxes at the Bureau of Customs, and overtaxing OFWs.

"Ang kapital ko lang naman is my word of honor," he said.

He also repeated to his OFW audience in Qatar a call he has made to Filipinos to fight corruption in government themselves.

"'Wag kayong pumayag na magbigay. You know what is contributing to the graft in the country? Kayo rin, eh, kasi lapitan kayo ng BIR, maski tama ang declaration ninyo, manghingi man, talagang 'yan bibigay kayo," he said.

"You have to be assertive to help your country," he added.

As for the country's drug problem, Duterte reiterated the effects of illegal drugs on a person, especially the heavy use of shabu.

He again claimed that there are four million drug addicts in the Philippines, some of whom are relatives of OFWs.

"Kaya ako diyan mainit, anak lang ako ng mahirap—'di naman kasing hirap, pero alam ko ang layo [at paghihirap], tapos ganunin mo lang ang mga anak namin. Magpadala kami ng pera, tapos ibibili lang ng shabu, all the whole you (OFWs) endure human degradation," he said.

"You know, constant use of shabu shrinks the brain... Out of the four million [drug addicts], I do not have an accurate count of how many of them are really insane, 'yung 'di mo na mapakinabangan. Kaya 'yung rage ko ngayon... Hindi ako nagda-drama," he added.

Obama, Trump

Duterte repeated his rants against the United States, apparently over its previous administration's criticisms of his anti-drug campaign.

He boasted of being the only leader to call former US President Barack Obama a "son of a bitch" in public.

Moreover, he reiterated that Obama's successor, President Donald Trump, approves of his drug war. He also heaped praises for the controversial new US president.

"Alam mo si Trump is a realist, a pragmatic thinker. Akala mo lang — pareho kaming pakunwari. Pero 'di nila alam nag-iisip nang malalim 'yan. 'Di 'yan magiging bilyonary—makatayo ka lang ng isang poste... Pu—, nakita mo 'yung building niya? Paano ka maging bobo? Malalim 'yan," he said.

'In the fullness of God's time'

Amid his promises, Duterte called on OFWs in Qatar to just follow the rules in host country, and thanked the country's highest official, Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, for "taking care of you."

"I would just like to appeal to you, especially here, Qatar and Bahrain, everybody dito, they have been very good to us ... Sana naman sumunod lang kayo sa— There are rules to be followed. Just follow the rules," he said.

"We have a serious problem, but I said, in the fullness of God's time, baka 'yung mga anak ninyo, hindi na kailangang umalis," he added. — with a report by Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/DVM/BM, GMA News