The Slatest

New, Somewhat Unconventional Philippines Leader Encourages Citizens to Kill Drug Dealers  

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte gestures during his final campaign rally on May 7, 2016 in Manila, Philippines.

Dondi Tawatao/Getty Images

The Philippines president-elect Rodrigo Duterte again showed an unconventional governing style by (again) encouraging vigilante justice by ordinary Filipinos in a nationally televised speech Saturday. Duterte’s call to vigilantism targeted the country’s problematic drug trade and, more specifically drug dealers, as he publicly condoned extra-judicial killings.

From the Associated Press:

“Please feel free to call us, the police, or do it yourself if you have the gun — you have my support,” Duterte said, warning of an extensive illegal drug trade that involves even the country’s police. If a drug dealer resists arrest or refuses to be brought to a police station and threatens a citizen with a gun or a knife, “you can kill him,” Duterte said. “Shoot him and I’ll give you a medal…”

In his speech on Saturday, Duterte asked three police generals based in the main national police camp in the capital to resign for involvement in crimes that he did not specify. He threatened to humiliate them in public if they did not quit and said he would order a review of dismissed criminal cases of active policemen, suggesting some may have bribed their way back onto the force.  “They go back again crucifying the Filipino,” he said. “I won’t agree to that.” “If you’re still into drugs, I will kill you, don’t take this as a joke. I’m not trying to make you laugh, son of a bitch, I will really kill you,” Duterte said to loud jeers and applause.

Duterte was elected as the leader of the Philippines last month after running a campaign promising to clean up crime and corruption—both dire problems in the country. The message resonated, as does his lack of filter (and potentially other things), despite Duterte’s outlandish views and rhetoric on rape, threats to assassinate journalists, and his links to a host of extra-judicial killings while serving as a mayor.