Human rights coalition iDEFEND: Duterte creating crisis with ‘bloated’ figures

President Rodrigo Duterte, who has now claimed that there are seven to eight million drug users in the Philippines, is creating a crisis to divert attention from the real problems in society, a human rights coalition said.

"This is still, as we mentioned before, 'yung creation ng isang crisis to shift attention away from the real problems of the Filipino people: 'yung inequality and poverty," Ellecer Carlos, the spokesperson of In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity (iDEFEND), said an interview on GMA News TV's Balitanghali on Thursday.

Carlos added that Duterte's estimates were "hard to believe."

"Medyo mahirap paniwalaan yung eight million or seven million na estimate kasi, saan nanggagaling 'yon?" he said.

"Bloated ang figures na 'yan and it is the erosion of the rule of law and our democratic institutions and human rights culture," he added.

In 2016, Duterte claimed, seemingly without basis, that there were "three million drug addicts" in the Philippines, and said that he would be "happy to slaughter them" just as Hitler did to the Jews.

In 2017, the President fired the head of the Dangerous Drugs Board for contradicting his count of four million drug users.

Last Saturday, days after saying that his war on drugs will be "harsher" and bloodier, Duterte said in a speech during a PDP-Laban campaign rally that there were seven to eight million Filipinos who have been "reduced to slaves" due to shabu.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday that Duterte "came up with this estimate" based on his "unlimited sources of intelligence."

'Puts everyone at risk'

Carlos also warned of the long-term effects of a deadly crackdown on illegal drug suspects on society and its protectors.

"This predisposes even the most law-abiding and decent police officers to become butchers. Kung masanay ang ating kapulisan to circumvent due process, 'yung nanlaban narrative nila, shortcuts and 'yun mga safeguards na mahalaga, this puts everybody in Philippine society at risk," he said.

"Everybody can now be accused of being involved in illegal drugs without having the opportunity to defend him or herself in court," he added.

"Let's remember the right to life from which all other rights emanate from. Mahalaga iyan kahit pa sabihin mong drug dependent iyan, mahalaga ang buhay," he also said.

Carlos also said that the government should focus on addressing what they say are root problems like poverty and inequality.

"Unless we address the root cause nitong widespread poverty babalik at babalik na panlipunang suliranin ang droga," he said. — Margaret Claire Layug/BM, GMA News