Joma Sison: Duterte is PH’s top drug addict

MANILA, Philippines – The word war between President Rodrigo Duterte and Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison seems far from over.

Sison, in a statement on Sunday, July 30, called Duterte the “number one drug addict” in the country who should be the target of the police.

“As an addict user of the opioid fentanyl, Duterte is the number one drug addict in the Philippines and is the most fitting target of the police units that he has turned into death squads and corrupted with money and promotions,” the CPP founder said.

Duterte previously said he took fentanyl, a strong painkiller.

Sison also described the President as a “coward through and through” for failing to fulfill his threats to kill alleged drug lord Peter Lim as well as Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino Jr and retired police officer Marcelo Garbo who he has accused of being drug protectors.

Duterte’s order to reinstate Superintendent Marvin Marcos was another form of cowardice, said Sison. Marcos led the team involved in the death of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.

“But he (Duterte) has enjoyed the most the mass murder of suspected poor drug users and pushers in the urban slums by the thousands … and has openly assured the obvious murderers in authority that they have the license to kill with impunity,” Sison said.

Going further, the CPP founder also called the President “utterly stupid” for failing to realize that he has incited the “people and revolutionary forces” against him because of the drug-related killings and martial law in Mindanao.

“Many people, including his so-called diehard supporters, are waking up to the fact that the illegal drug trade continues to thrive even in Bilibid and that Duterte has been favoring certain drug lords by delivering the street market to them where the low-level pushers of other drug syndicates have been slaughtered,” Sison said.

Tensions rose between the two after Duterte claimed Sison is dying due to colon cancer. Sison has since denied this.

Prior to that, the President said he will no longer negotiate for peace after members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) were wounded in a clash with the New People’s Army (NPA). (READ: Duterte dares Joma Sison, ‘Come home and fight’)

Duterte has also ordered the military to focus on neutralizing NPA forces once the crisis in Marawi City is resolved. – Rappler.com