Duterte admits to ordering killing of couple, said anti-drug fight continues
President Rodrigo Duterte said he would not stop "making noise" against the illegal drugs because he did not want to lose the momentum.
In a speech before the local government officials in Makati City, Duterte admitted that he ordered the killing of a couple allegedly involved in the proliferation of illegal drugs in Bohol.
"Stop making noise...no I cannot stop. It may lose the momentum," Duterte said.
Duterte said his noise will continue until the end of his term in 2022.
Duterte has been criticized locally and internationally for the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country. Over 3,500 drug suspects have already been killed in the drug war of the government, most of them were outside police operations.
The United States, European Union, United Nations and other human rights groups have raised concern over increasing number of drug suspects being killed in the country.
He said he "lost his respect for America" because instead of helping his administration's effort in the war against drugs, he was criticized for the alleged extrajudicial killings.
In a separate speech at a Jewish synagogue in Makati, Duterte said:” Eventually, in my time, I might break up with America.”
He said US and even President Barack Obama "can go to hell," while the EU, "you better choose purgatory because hell is already full."
"Why would I be afraid of you?," he added.
The President admitted he ordered the killing of suspected drug lord Melvin Odicta Sr. and his wife Meriam. The couple was shot dead by unidentified assailants in August in a port in Aklan.
"My order was to kill them..even if in front of the church or cemetery," he said.
Duterte said when he was looking at the reports, he noticed there was a huge proliferation of illegal drugs in Bohol despite it being a "very passive place."
"Why were the tourists go there? Where did shabu come. It zeroed in to Odicta," he said, noting the proliferation of illegal drugs also in Iloilo.
Duterte earlier named some government officials from Iloilo who were allegedly involved in illegal drugs.
He reiterated his order to the policemen to kill drug suspects if they would resist arrest.
Duterte said is mad against illegal drugs because "it always results to dysfunctional family" and it "destroys the nation." Celerina Monte/DMS
