August 29, 2016•Update: August 29, 2016
By Roy Ramos
ZAMBOANGA CITY, the Philippines
The Philippines president has offered a 2 million peso ($43,000) reward for information leading to the arrest of police officers protecting local drug rings -- the latest step in a pre-election promise that saw Rodrigo Duterte pledge to curb corruption and criminality within six months.
In a speech at the Heroes’ Cemetery in Manila during Monday's National Heroes' Day commemoration, Duterte encouraged Filipinos to "sell out" police members linked to the narcotics trade.
“I might be inclined to place a reward on their head -- the members of the ninja or members of the police who are then protecting the drug syndicates in this country,” ABS-CBN News reported him as saying, and then he placed the reward for their capture.
Duterte added that he wants the police and army to destroy the drug apparatus, and warned other government officials involved in drug activities that they will also get their comeuppance.
"There'll always be a day of reckoning," he underlined.
Police said during a Senate hearing earlier this month that a total of 1,779 drug suspects had been killed in Duterte's campaign, with 712 gunned down in clashes with police.
Others were slain in less than clear circumstances.
While human rights groups have expressed alarm that officials could be held responsible as they appear to be ignoring laws in apprehending suspects, a survey conducted by Pulse Asia last month showed that 91 percent of respondents said they trust Duterte.
"Claims to fight the illicit drug trade do not absolve the government from its international legal obligations and do not shield state actors or others from responsibility for illegal killings," the United Nations special rapporteur on summary executions, Agnes Callamard, said in an August statement.
On Monday, however, Duterte reiterated his support, saying he would protect government forces from criminal liability if they carry out his campaign.
"You will have all the things you need to fight criminals... Pursuant to my directions, you do not have to worry about criminal liability," he stated.
"I will go to prison for you. I take full legal responsibility. You should just do it according to the books," he added, and then took a stab at the international naysayers who have suggested that his campaign amounts to genocide.
"Genocide? Who did I kill? I did not kill any child. I did not drop barrel [bombs] just like [Syrian leader Bashar] Assad," Duterte underlined, and then referred to similar atrocities committed by Daesh extremists, who he referred to as "idiots".
