MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has urged local government officials to do their work in the country’s fight against illegal drugs.
In his speech on Tuesday (October 4) before the “Sulong Pilipinas: Local Governance Series” in Makati City, the President told local leaders that the illegal drug problem is a serious concern because it destroys families.
He pointed out that the country is already slipping into a narco-state and this must be aborted at once.
Duterte said some allies have advised him to go easy against those who criticize him in the war on drugs, but he said he will not stop in order not to lose momentum in the continuing anti-illegal drug fight.
“They told me to stop making noise. No, I cannot stop. Because I would lose the momentum. I cannot afford it because I am now the President. The momentum has to be there and it will be there for six years until the last pusher is taken out of this place,” he said.
With regard to rehabilitating more than three million drug addicts in the country, the President said that rehabilitating drug dependents is both a social and a health issue.
President Duterte told the mayors and governors that he has assured the country’s uniformed personnel of his continuing support for them, that they should not fear prosecution as long as they do their jobs.
“I’m sounding off the alarm regarding drugs, please do something about it,” President Duterte told the mayors and governors who attended the event. (PND)
