Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte wants to know why Chinese nationals are involved in PH drug trade. (Photo : Getty Images/Dondi Tawatao)
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed his grievances over the involvement of Chinese nationals in illegal drug trade in the country. He says he is planning to ask Chinese officials regarding this situation.
Duterte, who took office on June 30, has vowed to end crime and get rid of the problem on drugs within the first six months of his administration. According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the president said that he would not hesitate to pardon law enforcers who help him curb illegal drugs amidst abuse of authority accusations by human rights advocates.
Duterte said that he will grant presidential pardons as long as these police officers and soldiers involved are not fabricating evidence and are telling the truth.
The Inquirer noted that human rights advocates are outraged over the reported deaths of more than 200 suspected drug traffickers since Duterte won the May 9 elections. These drug traffickers died during engagements or confrontations with police authorities.
Duterte said in a statement that many of the unclaimed bodies of the suspected drug criminals are Chinese nationals. In a video released by his press office, he said that he is planning to ask China why most of its citizens who come to the Philippines do drugs, even when they are in jail.
The Philippine Star wrote earlier that Duterte has revealed the names of drug lords who are behind the country's largest drug syndicates. He identified these drug lords as Wu Tian alias "Peter Co," Herbert Colangco alias "Ampang," and Peter Lim alias "Jaguar." All three of them are from mainland China.
Duterte mentioned that while Peter Co and Colangco are already in prison, they are still leading their respective operations outside. Lim, meanwhile, remains at large and is said to be in and out of the country.
Inquirer pointed out that since Duterte took office, tens of thousands of drug dealers and drug users have already voluntarily surrendered to the police. In Tanauan alone, a town south of the Philippine capital, Manila, around 1,100 people involved in drugs flocked to the local gymnasium to surrender and pledge to reform and to report regularly to village leaders. They were required to fill out forms, to have their mugshots and fingerprints taken, and to undergo group counseling by social welfare officers.
Check this video on Duterte naming the top drug lords in the country and the officials protecting them:
