Angara says Duterte's marijuana joke not surprising; HRW says it's not funny

Senator Sonny Angara on Wednesday said he was not surprised when President Rodrigo Duterte made a remark about using marijuana to keep himself awake amid his busy schedule.

"It's not a surprise to hear the President saying jokes... he's actually famous in Davao for that, for making jokes and being sarcastic," Angara said in an interview on ANC.

During the awarding ceremony of the ASEAN National Organizing Council in Malacañang on Monday, Duterte said he uses marijuana to stay awake as he had lamented the punishing schedule during international conferences.

The Chief Executive then clarified that he had made the remark in jest.

“I want to shake the tree. Boring ‘pag wala. Alam mo naman nagpapatawa talaga ako,” Duterte said.

Meanwhile, for Human Rights Watch (HRW) Asia director Brad Adams, Duterte's remark only "undermines" the rationale for his government's anti-illegal drugs campaign.

Adams also said it was not funny.

"Duterte’s supposed joke is not funny: Since his 'war on drugs' began in June 2016, the police and unidentified assailants have summarily killed more than 12,000 people, mostly under-employed young men," Adams said.

"Duterte’s admission of using it – whether in jest or not – undermines the rationale for his “drug war” and exposes its murderous hypocrisy," he added.

Adams also said the President's statement only "adds cruel insult to injury" for the victims of the violent drug campaign.

In defending Duterte, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo has said using marijuana to keep oneself awake does not make sense as it is not a stimulant. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News