English Articles
Duterte says drug syndicates have shifted to kidnapping
President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday drug syndicates have shifted to kidnap-for-ransom with at least six such incidents in Manila in the last three weeks.
Duterte made the disclosure during his speech before the members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in Manila .
"There's a very low supply of drugs now. They have shifted to kidnapping," he said, adding "about six kidnappings happened in Binondo."
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency recently said because of the war on drugs, the street price of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, in the local market now ranges from P1,200 to P25,000 per gram, the highest since 2002.
"This shows an increase of 127.27 percent as compared to its previous price of P1,200 to P11,000 per gram from January to June 2016,” PDEA Director General Isidro Lapeña earlier said.
Duterte said he would not stop in his war against illegal drugs until the end of his term.
"I want to see users, pushers out of the street and all the drug lords killed," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS
