Duterte claims Abu Sayyaf involved in Bamboo Triad drugs operation

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday claimed that the Bamboo Triad, which he alleged was behind the proliferation of illegal drugs in the Philippines, had links with the Abu Sayyaf terror group.

"Meron nang humahawak. Alam mo sino? The Chinese Triad, the Bamboo Triad. Kinonsolidate na nila lahat at meron na sila parang representante dito. O dito may franchise ka. Ang binigyan nila ng franchise dito sa Jolo banda, ang mga Abu Sayyaf," Duterte explained in a taped interview on state-run People's Television Network.

"Kagaya sa Marawi. It started with a raid kasi may huhulihin o may warrant. O ‘di anong nakita natin? The rebellion opened. Pero droga 'yun. Ganoon sila ka-powerful na lumaban. Ngayon naghingi sila ng tulong kasi sabi nila Islam," he added.

The President on Tuesday said that the illegal drugs operations in the country were taken over by the 14K and Bamboo triads.

While Duterte's pronouncements were unclear about the exact nature of the Bamboo triad, the South China Morning Post reported in 2015 on the Taiwan-based United Bamboo triad gang, which they linked to Hong Kong's 14K triad.

The SCMP said that the United Bamboo triad, considered as one of the world’s largest organized crime group, was based in Taiwan.

Taiwan, meanwhile, asked Duterte to prove his allegations. 

Before Duterte made his revelations, both China and Taiwan issued separate statements saying they had never been the source of illegal drugs in the Philippines.

Duterte on Thursday made it clear that he was not referring to the Chinese government nor its people when he made the revelation. He said he meant Chinese gangsters who connived with Filipino gangsters. — DVM, GMA News