Duterte dares western countries to take over PHL drug war

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday called on western countries to be more "educated" in their assessment of how the Philippines was conducting its war on drugs.

In a sardonic tone before the High Level Forum on ASEAN@50 in Manila, the President asked the West to take over the country's campaign against illegal drugs if they knew how it should be done in the Philippine setting.

“Tell us if you are ready to deal with the problem, I’d be happy to order my soldiers and my policemen just to relax. And if any western country is interested to do it the civilized way, then come. I am inviting you to join the fray. And I would be glad to appoint you the lead role in the problem,” Duterte said.

“Otherwise, if you cannot stop interfering, at least be educated in your assessment. For after all, all countries suffer from social problems,” he added.

Duterte said western countries should not to impose their will on the Philippine government.

“Do not derogate our sovereignty by lecturing on us, the civilities of a country which we turn a democratic state,” Duterte said.

Progressive Alliance and Party of European Socialists recently visited the Philippines and urged the Duterte administration to stop the killings.

This triggered the President to lash out at the European Union and dare the bloc to cut ties with the Philippines.

Despite a clarification, the President stood his ground and said the EU envoy to the Philippines should have denied that the groups were official representatives of the European bloc.

“You do not come here upon the invitation of some NGOs and the opposite political parties and look only on the number of extrajudicial killings which has not — even have an investigation if it is really one or not,” Duterte said. 

“In the style of — in my country today, when somebody there lies dead, it is always an extrajudicial killing. If there is no suspect that can be pointed at, it is extrajudicial killing. All killings whether perpetrated by a state or by the ordinary citizen, is always extrajudicial,” he added.

Duterte urged his critics to look at the drug problem in the country as a social problem.

He said that it was already present during the time of former President and incumbent Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and it got worse during the time of former President Benigno Aquino III.

“And when I was the President, it was there. And yet, early on we’re being reprimanded publicly by the highest officials of other lands as if we are a colony,” Duterte said. —NB, GMA News