‘Why Even Fight?’ Duterte Threatens Drug Lord Politicians with Airstrikes

Calling in the Air Force is taking the war on drugs to another level. But with drug-lords with private armies thinking they can do anything they want, this might actually get their attention. The danger here is two-fold: collateral casualties - bombs are not surgical, and the likelihood that some people will accuse political rivals of being drug dealers just to get rid of them.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to unleash the full might of the military against the private militias of corrupt politicians, including sending in fighter jets to bomb their positions.

The president was giving a speech in which he revealed he had expanded the list of politicians suspected to be involved in the drugs trade.

“Even if you have 100-200 armed men, that will not help,” he said, as quoted by the Manila Bulletin on Tuesday. “Why would you put up a fight? I have 12 FA-50 jets. I will drop five bombs on you. I will really use the force of the government.”

“I told you not to contradict the government. I will use the government because I have to protect the people who represent the government. I will not hesitate.”

Private armies led by politicians and powerful clans have long been a fixture in the Philippines, particularly in the southern island of Mindanao, wracked by conflict with communist and Muslim insurgents as well as the terrorist group, Abu Sayyaf, linked to Islamic State.

Other than providing security, the militias are known to be used for settling scores: in November 2009, gunmen loyal to the powerful Ampatuan family massacred 57 people in the province of Maguindanao. Duterte himself has been accused of leading an armed group dubbed the “Davao Death Squad” prior to his election as president, which allegedly carried out the killings of thousands of accused drug dealers, users, thieves and other petty criminals. Some of the alleged former members of the squad have testified in court, either providing descriptions of the alleged extrajudicial killings, or dismissing the very existence of the group as “media hype.”

Duterte’s latest warning comes just over a week after Reynaldo Parojinog, mayor of Ozamiz City, was shot dead along with 13 others, including his wife and his brother, when a shootout erupted during an anti-drugs operation. Parojinog had been on Duterte’s “list” since 2016, and Duterte denounced him and his family as “gangsters.”

Allegations of using the war on drugs as a method of getting political opponents out of the way have also surfaced locally.

“I am the president of the barangay [village] council,” Vicente Yungco Jr told Marina Kosareva for RT’s documentary Project Duterte. “I was really surprised that I was linked with drugs. I’m on bail now, amounting to 80,000 pesos [$1,600] for illegal firearms and ammunition.”

“I think it was a political motivation. I have a political rival in my barangay. We were elected for three terms, they did not win. I’m afraid that certain local officials, they can do whatever they want.”

Over 7,000 people have been killed in the police crackdown on drug dealers since the start of Duterte’s presidency in July 2016, according to data from the Philippine National Police (PNP). The Philippines authorities have claimed that a large portion of those deaths have come from suspects resisting arrest in police operations while others have come at the hands of vigilantes or rival crime syndicates working outside the law. Meanwhile, human rights groups allege there is an unofficial state-sanctioned policy of exterminating drug suspects, while police officers actively collude with the vigilantes.

Bounty War: Drug Lords Raise Offer for Philippines Leader’s Head to $1,000,000

Bidding wars in the Philippines

Philippines' president-elect Rodrigo Duterte (C) speaks to journalists in Davao City © Manman Dejeto / AFP

Drug lords have raised the ante for anyone who kills Philippine President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, local media report. Over $1 million will be paid for the assassination of the country's new leader, who has recently declared "a bloody war” on drug cartels.

Duterte - 50 mn pesos

The incoming police chief Ronald Dela Rosa said he had received a tip-off from a source saying that raising the reward from 10 million pesos ($216,000) to 50 million pesos ($1,083,845) was the main subject of a meeting between drug lords currently behind bars at the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa, Philippines.


Asian Star Building, Muntilupa, Philippines

“What they did not know is that one of those present in the meeting has told me what they discussed,” Dela Rosa told the Manila Bulletin.

When asked how he plans to deal with them, Dela Rosa reportedly replied: “They should be taken out of the NBP horizontally.”

Indeed, that may be the only way to cancel out the reward offer. The drug lords probably just signed their own death warrant.

Last week, the Philippines' president elect urged the public to join his anti-crime fight and pledged to be tougher on local law enforcers and officials found to be protecting and covering up drug lords and other criminal groups.

Drug lords - 5 mn pesos

Duterte, 71, who won the presidential election last month, has publicly acknowledged that his anti-crime campaign would be "a bloody war,” and offered a reward of 5 million pesos ($108,000) for a drug lord “if he is dead.”

“If he is alive, only 4.999 million," he added, laughing, according to AFP.

Duterte, who has been mayor of the southern city of Davao for over 22 years, said he is deaf to criticism that he was promoting a “culture of death.”

Indeed, that is probably the case, but there already is a culture of drugs that is not much better than death. The culture of death is short-term, just until the country is cleaned up. The culture of drugs would otherwise be endless.

Documents released by WikiLeaks allege Duterte has been linked with a vigilante group called the Davao Death Squad. It is suspected of being behind dozens of killings.

“If they [criminals] can’t be talked into changing, let’s kill them,” the Manila Bulletin quoted him as saying.

"If they are there in your neighborhood, feel free to call us, the police or do it yourself if you have the gun. You have my support," he told crowds of cheering supporters.

"If he fights and fights to the death, you can kill him," Duterte, who officially takes office on June 30, suggested.

"I will give you a medal," he added, noting that drug addicts will not be rehabilitated. He warned: "If you are involved in drugs, I will kill you. You son of a whore, I will really kill you."

Ninja Cops - 2 mn pesos

Yesterday, the president of the Philippines took his much criticized war on drugs to another level, placing a bounty on the heads of “ninja” cops protecting drug syndicates. He said they will "face a day of reckoning," announcing a US$43,000 reward on their heads.

"I might be inclined to place a reward on their heads, the members of the ninja or the members of the police who are protecting the drug syndicates in this country. I am placing per head 2 million peso [$43,000]," President Rodrigo Duterte said in a National Heroes Day speech on Monday.

"I want the police and the armed forces to destroy the drug apparatus in this country," he told retired and serving soldiers, government officials, and foreign diplomats.

He also said that officers who are aware of unethical "ninja" cops should "squeal on your friends," Reuters reported.

Last month, Duterte – who came to power in May on a promise to wipe out drugs and dealers – named around 160 officials, judges, police, and soldiers who he said were protecting drug traffickers or selling drugs in their neighborhoods.