Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — President Rodrigo Duterte reveals that in the last three weeks, six kidnapping incidents have been reported in Binondo, Manila.
In a speech at the annual convention of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Greater Manila Region on Friday evening, the President said that because of his administration’s war on drugs, criminal groups seemed to have shifted their operations.
“There’s a very low supply of drugs now, but nag-shift na naman sa kidnapping ang mga g*g*. So bagong laro naman ito, magti-three weeks sa-there were about six kidnappings sa Binondo. So be careful, give me time to — talk to God,” Duterte notes.
[Translation: Drug dealers have shifted to kidnapping. So this is something new that we have to deal with.]
The President’s statement comes just hours after Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella downplayed the travel advisory issued by the U.S. Embassy that warned against terror groups planning to conduct kidnappings in southern Cebu.
Duterte vowed again that there would be no let-up in his war against drugs, stressing the Philippines has become a narco-political country.
“This campaign against this drugs and criminality will not stop til the end of my term. I want to see every pusher, user, out of the streets and all the drug lords killed.”
He added that based on studies by the Department of Finance, the government would need up to a trillion pesos a year for anti-drug operations, including rehabilitation and medical needs of drug patients.
