Rodrigo Duterte was sworn in as the Philippines’
president on Thursday, extending an olive branch to the country’s elites in his
official speech, only to later vow to wipe out drug traffickers and urge the
population to kill addicts.
Duterte who is 71, won last month’s election in a landslide
after a
campaign dominated by threats to kill tens of thousands of criminals in a
relentless war on crime, and tirades against the nation’s elite that cast him
as an incendiary, anti-establishment hero.
Following a measured
speech after taking his oath before a small audience inside the presidential
palace, the outspoken leader paid an evening visit to a Manila slum and
unleashed profanity-laden threats against drug traffickers in front of a crowd
of about 500 people
“These sons of whores are destroying our children. I warn
you, don’t go into that, even if you’re a policeman, because I will really kill
you,” the head of state told the audience.
“If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself
as getting their parents to do it would be too painful.”
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