Duterte warns drug dealers in prison: Pray that I don’t get crazy

Efforts are underway to rid the country's jails of drug dealers but President Rodrigo Duterte warned that he could immediately finish them off if he got crazy.

“Magdasal lang sila na hindi ako mabuang. Kasi kapag ako ang nabuang, ako na magdala ng M16. May mga ano lang ako siguro, may dalawang bandolier, ubos lahat iyan. Tapos ang problema natin,” Duterte said in a speech before the 9th Infantry Division in Pili, Camarines Sur.

“Itong mga p----- i--, ginawa talaga tayong loko-loko,” Duterte said.

Duterte adverted to the substantial decrease of illegal drugs in the communities. He said one now has to go to the country's prisons including the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.

"Ngayon wala na masyado sa labas. But if you want to buy shabu, kung magnegosyo ka, kailangan pupunta ka muna sa mga penal colonies, pati diyan sa Muntinlupa. Totoo iyan," Duterte said.

"Ako abogado, hindi ako nagsisinungaling,” he added.

Duterte made the remarks as the House Committee on Justice continued on Wednesday its probe of the alleged drug trade at the NBP.

He said the problem is now being addressed especially with the deployment of Special Action Force commandos and communication jammers at the NBP.

“Ang aming assessment ngayon kaya lalagyan ng jammer. Kita mo, mag-gastos pa tayo. Tanggalin ko muna iyong mga ano, lagyan ko ng SAF [Philippine National Police-Special Action Force],” he said.

In an attempt to warn drug lords, Duterte said he could end the problem by using a rifle.

Supply of drugs down

More than two months into the Duterte administration’s intensified anti-illegal drug campaign, the supply of illegal drugs in the country has already been reduced by 80 to 90 percent, Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said on Friday.

“The good news is that we have significantly reduced the supply of illegal drugs in the country by some 80 to 90 percent,” Dela Rosa said in his speech before members of Region 5 Police at Camp Simeon Ola in Legazpi City.

“We are posting tremendous gains and slowly but surely winning the streets from the illegal drug menace while removing the fear of crime and violence in the hearts of our countrymen,” he added.

He said with many drug personalities out of the streets, they now expect safer communities.

“If anyone is more afraid these days, these are the people who are involved in the illegal drug trade that their days are numbered because they may be arrested and jailed anytime,” he said. —NB/KG, GMA News