「日刊まにら新聞」ウェブ

As he is about to end his term, President Rodrigo Duterte asked the uniformed personnel to continue the fight against illegal drugs.

"I’m leaving the presidency... I would like to appeal to everybody that drugs, especially the military and the police and the Coast Guard who are here, never give up the fight against drugs," Duterte said as he led the lowering of the tunnel boring machine for Metro Manila Subway project ceremony in Valenzuela City on Sunday.

"To the police and military who are listening now, whatever, my orders are and should be until now and in the years to come: destroy the apparatus of the drug syndicates," he added.

Duterte also warned the drug personalities that even after his term as presidentends, he will find a way to kill them.

"I’m warning you. Even if I’m just an ordinary citizen, ‘If I see that you're like that, I will find a way to kill you. My God, remember that. Do not get into the drugs and my orders to the police and the military: continue the momentum. As long as it is done in the performance of your duty and you run afoul or someone was killed, I will say I am the one who will assume full accountability and all," he said.

"I am a Filipino. If I will be charged criminally, it should be before a Filipino court. And if there’s somebody who will judge me, it will be a Filipino judge. And if somebody will prosecute me, it must be a Filipino prosecutor. The courts are there. There is no failure of justice," said Duterte, referring to his case before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

"Even if I'm no longer president, ‘if I see a governor or mayor who is on drugs, I will come to your house," he added.

Duterte said he will also ask his daughter, Vice President-elect Sara Duterte, to continue the fight against illegal drugs by not allowing children to be contaminated.

His daughter is also the education secretary-designate of the incoming Marcos administration.

"But this time, If I am no longer here I will tell Inday, 'Take over the job...' he said.

"In the Department of Education, there are many children there. Do not ever allow contamination there, if you have to do it, do it. Me, I had to do it because nobody would do it for us," he added. Robina Asido/DMS