Filipino President-Elect: It’s OK For Civilians To Kill Drug Lords

Want to shoot a drug dealer in the Philippines? No worries, you won’t go to jail, you’ll actually be rewarded under president-elect Rodrigo Duterte. In a nationally televised speech late Saturday, Duterte encouraged citizens to take the law into their own hands by using deadly force against drug dealers who threaten them or resist arrest.

“If he fights, and he fights to the death, you can kill him,” he said. “Shoot him and I’ll give you a medal.”

Critics have dubbed Détente, who won the presidency last month, the “Filipino Donald Trump.” His campaign promise that landed him the victory? He vowed to end crime and corruption within the first six months of his presidency, which explains the support he gives civilians in handling drug lords on their own. “Please feel free to call us, the police, or do it yourself if you have the gun … you have my support,” he added.

Also in an attempt to cut crime and corruption, Duterte, 71, announced that he is increasing the bounty for drug lords from 3 million Philippine pesos ($65,000) to  five million pesos ($108,000). “I’m not saying that you kill them, but the order is ‘dead or alive,” he said.

Drug lords aren’t the only part of crime and corruption Duterte is concerned with–also on his agenda is removing corrupt police officers. In his speech, he asked three police generals based in the capital to resign for unspecified crimes. If they don’t quit, he threatened to humiliate them in public, or perhaps worse–kill them. Because some cops may have bribed their way back to the force after being involved with some sort of drug scheme, Duterte is also calling for a review of dismissed criminal cases of active police.

“To all police who have cases and are wanted now, if you are still involved in drugs, I will kill you,” he said. “Don’t take this as a joke. I’m not making you laugh.”

Not only does Duterte encourage civilians to resort to whatever means necessary to take down a drug lord, he also supports security forces shooting and killing anyone that resists arrest. Duterte, above all, really knows what it means to take matters into your hands. While he was the mayor of Davao City, he pulled the trigger on many suspected motorcycle-riding assassins, better known as “Davao death squads.” 

“Me? They are saying that I’m part of a death squad? True, that’s true,” he said.

However, human rights activists say that he has never been charged because no one has dared to testify against him. Many Filipino citizens may love his anti-crime and corruption rhetoric, but human rights activists fear that it will lead to widespread rights violations.

Police and drug lords aren’t the only ones who can fall to corruption, journalists are also guilty, Duterte thinks. 

“Just because you’re a journalist you are not exempted from assassination, if you’re a son of a bitch,” Duterte said. “Freedom of expression cannot help you if you have done something wrong.”

Duterte begins his six-year term June 30.

Inez Nicholson

Inez is an editorial intern at Law Street from Raleigh, NC. She will be a junior at North Carolina State University and is studying political science and communication media. When she’s not in the newsroom, you can find her in the weight room. Contact Inez at INicholson@LawStreetMedia.com.