Duterte: I’m being portrayed as a ‘cousin of Hitler’

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Duterte: I’m being portrayed as a ‘cousin of Hitler’

Robinson Ninal

President Rodrigo Duterte draws parallels between Hitler's annihilation of 3 million Jews and his controversial campaign against drugs


MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, September 30, lamented that some members of the international community have portrayed him as a “cousin” of Adolf Hilter, even as he expressed no qualms about “slaughtering” 3 million drug addicts in the country.

Duterte made the comment in his arrival speech in Davao City, where he landed after a two-day official visit to Vietnam.

After reading his prepared speech, he spoke about the gravity of the drug menace in the country and how he’s being prejudged by international groups on his war on drugs, particularly the European Union and the United Nations.

“You’re portrayed or pictured to be some – a cousin of Hitler. And you do not even bother to find out, to investigate. Imagine that, I will be facing…even the international court for genocide. Kung hindi ba naman kabalbagan ang mga  (That’s foolish)–,” he said, put up his hands, and stopped short of uttering his favored expletive.

But a few minutes later, he himself drew parallels between Hitler’s annihilation of 3 million Jews and his controversial campaign against drugs.

“Hitler massacred 3 million Jews. Now there [are] 3 million drug addicts….I’d be happy to slaughter them,” he said.

“At least if Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have, you know, my victims. I would like to be – all criminals to finish the problem of my country and save the next generation from perdition,” the Philippine leader added.

The leader of Nazi Germany led a campaign to wipe out Jews in Europe which led to about  6 million deaths by the end of World War II.

Duterte had often said that there are an estimated 3.7 million drug addicts in the Philippines, but the Dangerous Drugs Board has placed the number at 1.8 million.

Where’s your case?

The President said he had no problem when he was called out for alleged human rights violations when he was Davao City mayor. He was refererring to the investigation of UN special rapporteur Philip Alston on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions in the Philippines, which included the Davao Death Squad allegedly linked to the then mayor.

Duterte said that even after that investigation, “no single case” was filed against him.

Now that he’s Chief Executive representing an entire nation, no one can make an allegation against him without a proper investigation, he said.

Duterte reiterated how the European Parliament, the EU’s legislative body, criticized his administration for the spate of killings in the country since it embarked on its war on drugs. He said “lawyers” at the EU cited his “threats” to kill criminals.

“What an idiot. Group of idiots in the purest form. You know, when you want to charge me, you have the find out if the penal laws of this land would make a mayor liable if he threatens the criminals or intimidate the wrongdoers,” Duterte said, adding that he could not control his outbursts under such a situation. (READ: Duterte gives middle finder to EU lawmakers again)
 
“It was of course all right when I was mayor. Because then, that would be about just a miniscule of the affairs of the humanity in this planet. But when I am the President and the tirades get bitter and stupid, you put all the Filipinos, especially outside, you put them to shame,” the President said. (READ: Duterte: My mouth can’t bring down PH)

Duterte also launched another attack on the EU and the United States, this time for alleged inaction on the migrant crisis emanating from the Middle East.

“You US, EU. You can call me anything. But I was never into or I am never into hypocrisy like you,” he said.

“Close your doors; it’s wintertime. There are migrants escaping from the Middle East. You allow them to rot and then you’re worried about the death of about 1,000, 2,000, 3,000?”

The President’s latest rant against his critics comes after the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights completed its review on human rights in the Philippines which tackled, among others, the extrajudicial killings in the country. – with reports from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com

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