Manila: The Philippines’ president elect Rodrigo Duterte urged the public to join his anti-crime crackdown, offering people huge bounties for killing drug dealers.
His announcement came as other officials began paying bounties for slain suspected criminals in an apparent attempt to ride on Duterte’s success.
Duterte won the presidential election last month, running on a platform of a ruthless anti-crime campaign. After previously saying he would unleash the military and police on criminals, Duterte said the public could go after them as well. “If they are there in your neighbourhood, feel free to call us, the police or do it yourself if you have the gun. You have my support,” he told his cheering followers.
“If he fights and fights to the death, you can kill him,” he said, adding: “I will give you a medal.” He stressed that drug addicts could not be rehabilitated and warned, “if you are involved in drugs, I will kill you. You son of a whore, I will really kill you.”
Duterte reiterated that his anti-crime campaign would be “a bloody war,” as he offered money for slain drug lords.
“I will pay, for a drug lord: five million (pesos)(USD 107,000) if he is dead. If he is alive, only 4.999 million,” he laughed. Duterte, who takes office on June 30 and is the longtime mayor of the southern city of Davao, also offered smaller amounts for lower-ranked figures involved in the drug trade.
