MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte has a suggestion for critics of his deadly campaign against illegal drugs: join his proposed “adopt-an-addict” program.

“If you want, ‘yung mga bleeding hearts, if you really want to stop the violence and all, mag-adopt na lang (just adopt). Adopt an addict, share a love between your fellow man,” said Duterte on Monday, December 12.

He was speaking during the oath-taking of People’s National Movement for Federalism officers at the Palace.

Before mentioning this “proposal,” Duterte was talking about his government’s lack of funds for rehabilitation centers since the 2016 budget they are working with was prepared by the previous administration.

He bristled at critics accusing him of not recognizing the importance of rehabilitating drug addicts.

Duterte said that, by adopting addicts, his critics would know about their “perdition.”

He even joked that his critics can start choosing drug addicts to take in.

“Kasi kung gusto ninyo, lahat ng nasa Tondo unahan ko. Kayo na ang mamili kung sino ang gusto ‘nyo doon, babae, lalaki,” he said, to chuckles from his audience.

(Because if you want, I can start with all those in Tondo. You pick who you want, female, male.)

The previous weekend, human rights activitists protested the roughly 6,000 killings being linked to Duterte’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.

In another Monday speech, Duterte said he would punish policemen and soldiers who commit extrajudicial killings.

But in yet another speech, he said the only way for these murders to stop is for drug pushers and drug lords to end their trade. – Rappler.com