Duterte urge OFWs to ignore critics, EJK reports

AMMAN — President Rodrigo Duterte took aim at his critics during his meeting with members of the Filipino community here as he urged them to ignore claims that his war on illegal drugs is encouraging extrajudicial killings.

Duterte called human rights advocates "bugok (stupid)" for complaining about the deaths tied to his anti-drug campaign but supposedly ignoring the killing of policemen and soldiers by drug offenders.

"Do not believe (reports on) extrajudicial (killings)...Why would I lose policemen and soldiers if they (suspects) do not fight back?" the president told the Filipino community last Thursday here.

"They just don't get it. The human rights advocates did not get it because they are fools." 

Duterte then claimed that a "kadre" or communist rebel was able to infiltrate the United Nations, which previously expressed concerns about his drug crackdown. 

"Who you who wants to control the Philippines? Communists. Believe me. One of them managed to enter the UN," the president said without elaborating. 

Duterte also assailed his critic Sen. Leila de Lima, whom he accused of having a sex video. De Lima, who initiated a probe on the spate of deaths linked to Duterte's drug war,  was arrested and jailed in 2017 over drug-related charges. 

"Now, she’s considered internationally as a prisoner of conscience because the charges against her were trumped up," the president said.  

"The one who testified against her was his partner on the video Did you see it? What is she really? Prisoner of conscience? Prisoner of libog (lust)," he added, drawing laughter and cheers from the audience. 

De Lima has denied involvement in illegal drugs and having a sex video. 

Interestingly, Duterte did not mention anything about his arch critic Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, the former rebel soldier whose amnesty was voided last Aug. 31. Officials claim Trillanes failed to comply with the requirements for those seeking amnesty but the senator believes the move was meant to silence critics of the government. 

Duterte said the future of the country would be jeopardized if he stops his campaign against illicit drugs trade. 

"If I renege and and take back my words...we will be flooded with drugs and there is no tomorrow for our children," he added. 

The president stressed he does not mind going to jail for his advocacies. 

More than 4,000 suspected drug offenders have died since Duterte waged a war on narcotics two years ago.