Philippines' Duterte says he may impose martial law if drug problem 'virulent'

[Common]

One of my Drs is Phillipino, I was there for a yearly visit and I mentioned Duterte to him. I fully expected him to make a sign of disgust or say something very negative. I got the shock of my life.

He basically said Duterte had no choice and had to do what hes doing for the survival of the country. I said HUH, he said drug usage was so bad because of no enforcement whatsoever. That crime was rampant no one was safe and there were drug addicts everywhere. He said there had to be a war on drugs. He said he has family there and because of him and another Dr they live in a safer place but he said he does not like to go there to visit anymore.

I never expected that response from him
Philippines' Duterte says he may impose martial law if drug problem 'virulent'

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said he would impose martial law if the drug problem became "very virulent", just a month after dismissing as "nonsense" any suggestion he might do so.
Duterte has made a brutal war on drugs a central pillar of his administration since he took office in the middle of last year.
Since July, more than 6,000 people have been killed in the anti-drug campaign, in both police operations and unexplained killings by suspected "vigilantes". More than 1 million drug peddlers and users have been arrested or have surrendered to authorities.
Duterte, speaking to members of a chamber of commerce in the southern city of Davao late on Saturday, said he has sworn to protect the country against all threats, including drugs, which he said has affected about 4 million people.
"If I wanted to, and it will deteriorate into something really very virulent, I will declare martial law," he said.
"No one can stop me," he said, referring to the Supreme Court and Congress.
"My country transcends everything else, even the limitations."
The Philippines endured a decade of martial law from the early 1970s and memories of campaigns to restore democracy and protect human rights are fresh in the minds of many people.
Last month, Duterte appeared to rule out any possibility he might declare martial law.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ph...-idUSKBN14Z02O

[Peter1469]

I suggest that we not get to worked up over the internal affairs of other nations. It really isn't our business.

If their instability starts to affect the region- that is a different story.

[Common]

It doesnt effect me one iota Pete, I could care less what they do. I just found his response surprising

[valley ranch]

I, while making a small purchase at Dollar General, handed the girl 3 $1.00 and a $20 thinking it was 4 $1.00s. The girl handed back the 20.
I call the DG corp to tell of the good experience with a honest employee and found I was talking to someone in the Philippines.
I thought that interesting.

[Peter1469]

It doesnt effect me one iota Pete, I could care less what they do. I just found his response surprising

I know you wouldn't get worked up over what goes on inside the country. I was speaking in general since the US likes to butt into internal affairs of sovereign states.

[Common]

I, while making a small purchase at Dollar General, handed the girl 3 $1.00 and a $20 thinking it was 4 $1.00s. The girl handed back the 20.
I call the DG corp to tell of the good experience with a honest employee and found I was talking to someone in the Philippines.
I thought that interesting.

Theres tons of customer service depts in the phillipines my cable carrier and amazon for two are in the phillipines. They speak better and clearer english than indians. India was the first choice years ago. There were too many complaints.

[waltky]

Rogue officers kidnap and kill a South Korean man...

Philippine police stop anti-drug crackdown amid scandal
Jan 30,`17 -- The Philippine police chief has stopped the use of the national police force in anti-drug operations and disbanded all police anti-narcotics units after the brutal crackdown was used as a cover by rogue officers to kidnap and kill a South Korean man.

Police Director-General Ronald Dela Rosa told police officers Monday he would use the indefinite halt of anti-drug operations to launch a massive purge of police involved in crimes.

Members of the 170,000-strong force will not conduct raids, serve arrest warrants or visit the homes of drug suspects, though other anti-drug agencies will continue the crackdown.

President Rodrigo Duterte says his crackdown, which has been criticized internationally for its high death toll and possible human rights violations, will continue until the last day of his six-year term.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...01-30-03-42-05

See also:

Philippines to suspend drug war to clean up 'corrupt' police
30 January 2017 - Philippine police are suspending their controversial war on drugs until after the "corrupt" police force has been "cleansed".

Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa said on Monday that anti-drug units would be dissolved. It comes after the murder of a South Korean businessman inside police headquarters. He had been kidnapped and killed by anti-drug police. More than 7,000 people have been killed since the crackdown on drugs began. The death toll and President Rodrigo Duterte's hardline stance against drugs have attracted intense criticism from human rights groups and Western countries, although the president continues to enjoy a high level of support among Filipinos. Speaking on Monday, Mr Dela Rosa said Mr Duterte "told us to clean the organisation first". "We will cleanse our ranks... then maybe after that, we can resume our war on drugs."

Philippine National Police chief General Ronald dela Rosa listens to a policeman's testimony during a Senate investigation of a kidnapped South Korean businessman that was allegedly killed by policemen at the police headquarters in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines

Mr Duterte has made tackling drug use in the Philippines a central part of his presidency. He had initially promised to eradicate the problem by December, then extended the deadline to March this year. But he told reporters at a press conference late on Sunday: "I will extend it to the last day of my term... March no longer applies." Mr Duterte's term ends in 2022. He said he had underestimated the depth of the drug problem.

Jonathan Head, South East Asia correspondent, BBC News: Police too tainted

For eight months President Duterte has been unrepentant as the death toll from his drug war has risen. He has repeatedly promised to support, even pardon, any police officers accused of unlawful killing, and been unmoved even by the clear evidence of police involvement in the drug trade, and the murder of important drug suspects in police custody. But the shocking murder of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo last October has forced Mr Duterte to acknowledge that the Philippines National Police are too tainted to continue running the anti-drugs campaign. Mr Duterte now accuses the police force of being "corrupt to the core". He has ordered all tainted officers to be sent to front-line duty in the conflict-wracked southern Philippines.

Even if this happens, though, it will not necessarily bring the drug killings to an end. More than 4,000 of the deaths are blamed on unidentified hit squads, although many of those are believed to be run by the police. And the president's promise to extend the anti-drug campaign to the end of his term of office suggests he may try to revive it once the fuss about the murdered South Korean dies down. Senator Leila De Lima, Mr Duterte's most vocal critic, said the president and the police chief "should categorically give the order to end the killings". She said the dismantling of the police anti-narcotics operation meant "they are aware that the very men involved in anti-drug operations... are involved in illegal activities under the guise of the so-called war on drugs," she told ANC television.

'Corrupt to the core'

[waltky]

Duterte sidelines Philippine Police in war against drugs...

Philippine Police sidelined in Duterte's war against drugs
Thursday 2nd February, 2017 - On Tuesday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he might seek military support after withdrawing the national police from his controversial war on drugs.

The president has now handed over the job to the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA). In a brutal crackdown on drug users and smugglers, more than 7,600 people have been killed by forces since Duterte assumed power in 2016. Out of this, 2,550 deaths have reportedly taken place in police operations, the others being vigilante killings. Now, with the PDEA taking control of the anti-drugs tirade, the workforce committed to the task has decreased drastically to 1,800 staff, which is a mere 1 percent of the 160,000-strong Philippine National Police (PNP) force that had earlier dealt with the case. Commenting on the PNP, Duterte had recently stated that it was "corrupt to the core.”

He was said to be furious with the agency for having kidnapped and killed a South Korean businessman, identified as Jee Ick-joo. Seeking the army’s help, he said he would be dead "if I don't include you in the game.” He said in a statement, "No policeman in this country anywhere is allowed to enforce laws related to the drug campaign," adding that about 6,000 of them were "in to drugs.” The sudden dismissal of the PNP from the case of drugs comes as a surprise as Duterte has been unwavering in his support for police.

His spokesman said in a briefing, "The president had to act, he did act, to enforce his political will. To avoid any of the apparent corrupt activities within the organization, he has now transferred (control) to PDEA." Congressman Edcel Lagman labeled the dismissal of police from this case "a blessing" as it was time to get tough. He explained earlier this week, "For the first time in six months there are no reports today of drug-related killings. There should be no more kids gloves for police scalawags who deserve an iron fist."

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent Roberto Farjardo was quoted as saying, "That is good as an order. We now go after other crime...that’s better for us, we fight all crimes." A senior policeman, who remained anonymous in reports said, "The cleansing process will take a front seat by strengthening our counter-intelligence operations, checking lifestyles of police officers involved in drug operations. This is a huge job. I'm not sure how long will it take to do this because our Internal Affairs Service lacks manpower."

http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/2...-against-drugs

[rcfieldz]

Too poor to build a large prison or have rehab clinics. It's the socialist way.

[Mini Me]

I suggest that we not get to worked up over the internal affairs of other nations. It really isn't our business.

Duterte might influence Trump and give him ideas! If their instability starts to affect the region- that is a different story.