MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte wants drug addicts to choose what they will get free from the government this Christmas season: medicine or a rope to hang themselves with?

The free medicine will be funded using P1 billion donated by the Philippine Gaming Corporation to the Office of the President, out of the total P5 billion donation.

“Diyan na lang kayo sa bahay, wait for one of the days – I released another P1 billion. P5 billion bigay ni Andrea Domingo ng PAGCOR, dun ninyo kunin medications,” said Duterte on Tuesday, December 13.

(You just stay home, wait for one of the days – I released another P1 billion. Andrea Domingo of PAGCOR gave P5 billion, that’s where you get the medications.)

He was giving a speech before departing for his state visits to Cambodia and Singapore.

The President ordered the Department of Social Welfare and Development to identify these addicts and supply them with the medication they need.

“I hope one billion would go a long way to treat you this Christmas,” he said. (READ: Duterte: Want killings to stop? Drug suspects must end trade)

‘Stay home’

But if a drug addict is too stubborn to seek treatment or is too far gone with their addiction, Duterte said he would just provide them a rope so they could hang themselves.

“Ngayon, pag talagang loko-loko na, tapos walang alipyo na ang katawan, ‘di na masauli, nagpadala din ako ng mga lubid. Magbigti na lang kayo, mga puta, sabi ko sa inyo huwag eh,” he said.

(Now if you are really crazy and your body can no longer be returned to normal, I am sending you ropes. Just hang yourselves you sons of whores, I told you to stop.)

Earlier in his speech, Duterte also told addicts to stay inside their homes or face consequences.

“Mas mabuti ‘di kayo lumabas ng bahay. Magkulong na lang kayo ng bahay, pag nakita kita sa labas, dadamputin kita,” he said.

(It’s better if you don’t leave your house. Just lock yourself in your house because if I see you outside, I will have you arrested.)

Another P1 billion from the PAGCOR donation will be used to make medicines more accessible to even remote households through the Botika ng Bayan program.

The remaining P3 billion, Duterte said, may be used to buy yet more “medicines, tranquilizers” to keep drug addicts “calm” or “restore their sanity.” – Rappler.com