MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday blasted his predecessor and called him stupid for criticizing the current administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.
The chief executive told former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III that he was dead serious in his anti-narcotics campaign and threatened his predecessor that he would cut his head off if Aquino gets involved in illegal drugs.
“Sabi ni PNoy, parang walang nangyari. Sige, pumasok ka sa droga, PNoy, kapag hindi kita pinutulan ng ulo, buang ka [PNoy said it seemed that nothing happened. Go ahead, get involved in drugs and I would behead you, stupid],” Duterte said during the celebration of the 113th anniversary of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in Quezon City on August 2.
Duterte pointed to Aquino’s alleged inaction during his term on the supposed involvement of public officials in the illegal drug trade, including retired police general and now Daanbantayan, Cebu Mayor Vicente Loot.
“Anong walang nangyari? Gago ka nga. Mga generals mo, ‘yong aide mo. ‘Yong aide ni Roxas puro nasa droga, konektado [What did you say that nothing happened? You’re a fool. Your generals, your aide, and (Mar) Roxas’ aide are connected to illegal drugs],” he said.
Aquino on Tuesday said nothing seemed to have happened with Duterte’s war on drugs since the number of drug users from 2015 to 2016 remained the same.
“Ang sasabihin ko lang, no’ng kami 1.8 million. Tapos sa isang taon nito na may all-out na kampanya laban sa drugs, 1.8 million pa rin ang sinasabi ng survey at survey na nila ‘yan,” Aquino told reporters while he was at the Manila Memorial park where his family marked the 8th death anniversary of former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino.
[All I can say is during my term, there were 1.8 million drug users. After one year, despite an all-out campaign against illegal drugs, there are still 1.8 million drug users according to their administration’s survey.]
“Parang wala yatang nangyari [It seems that nothing happened],” he added.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella earlier defended Duterte from his predecessor’s criticism.
“”With all due respect to former President Aquino, the results of PRRD’s anti-illegal drug campaign speak for themselves,” Abella said in a statement.
“Comments like the above from past leaders imply a jaded cynicism borne of a history of political opportunism,” he added.
Abella noted that the Duterte’s campaign resulted in the surrender of 1.3 million drug personalities.
He also said that 96,703 drug personalities were arrested during the first year of Duterte’s administration but only 77,810 drug-linked persons were caught throughout Aquino’s term.
About 2,445.8 kilos of shabu have so far been seized under the present administration but only a total of 3,219.07 kilos of the same illegal drug were seized in all of Aquino’s six years in office, according to Abella.
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