MANILA, Philippines – At a meeting with the country’s local chief executives expected to discuss government response to the novel coronavirus outbreak, President Rodrigo Duterte first told them what to do about “ninja cops”: torture them until they die.

On Monday, February 10, Duterte digressed from the novel coronavirus, which already had 3 confirmed cases in the country, to once again talk about his administration’s ongoing war against drugs. 

“Itong droga, sabihin ko sa inyo, until now, you read the crawlers sinisingit nila palagi sa TV… It’s still at this late day, the drug problem is still with us. [Unbridled] millions. Puta, walang mangyari sa Pilipinas, it is the next generation who will suffer if we fail,” he said.

(These drugs, I tell you, you can read the crawlers on TV they still show it all the time… It’s still, at this late day, the drug problem is still with us. [Unbridled] millions. Bitch, nothing will happen in the Philippines, it is the next generation who will suffer if we fail.)

Thus, Duterte targeted cops who were involved in the illegal drug trade, just months after the 3 “ninja cops” involved in the controversial 2013 Pampanga buy-bust operation were dismissed. These cops were found to have planted evidence against their suspects, a practice that is still rampant, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

“Lahat ng mga pulis na tainted with, basta ‘yung mga may konting ano sa droga, alisin mo (All the policemen that are tainted with drugs, remove them),” he said. He added that this kind of policemen cannot be contented even with doubled salaries, thus they engage in the illegal drug trade. “Either you kill me, or I kill you,” he threatened.

He then gave local government unit heads a method for eradicating these cops: “Kayong mga local executives, if you really love your country, do something about it. ‘Di mo naman kailangang patayin eh, torture mo lang hanggang mamatay.”  

Duterte maintained that errant cops should be killed, regardless of human rights.

“Kaya ang totoo diyan, ang human rights, kayo ang dapat tapusin. Because kayo, you love your country, whatever country you come from, you have a country that is shit. Me, I love my country, and I love… ‘yung mga bata pa. Talagang ‘wag kayong pumayag, kung may pulis na may droga, ipapatay ninyo,” he said.

(The truth is, human rights should really be ended. Because you love your country, whatever country you come from, you have a country that is shit. Me, I love my country, and I love those who are still young. Do not tolerate them, if there are policemen involved in drugs, have them killed.)

In a report released in January, Human Rights Watch said that there has been no letup in human rights abuses during Duterte’s term, pointing to his anti-illegal drug campaign as the nation’s “gravest” human rights concern in 2019. – Rappler.com