Duterte slams church’s silence on addict rampage

MANILA: President Rodrigo Duterte expressed dismay on the silence of the church and human rights groups on massacres committed by drug addicts.

Duterte recalled the infamous Bulacan massacre to drive his point.

“A family of five was killed in Bulacan province, including a one-year-old who was molested and stabbed in the chest. But I did not hear from you, and you were there.

“I did not hear the outrage of the priests or the human rights advocates,” he said in a speech during the 11th founding anniversary of the Eastern Mindanao Command in Davao City.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and various human rights groups have been critical of the administration’s brutal war on drugs.

Condemnation of the governments crackdown on illegal drugs became more evident after the death of 17-year old Kian Loyd delos Santos who was killed in an anti-drug operation in Caloocan City.

Aside from victims of drug addicts, the President also mentioned how government troops were risking their lives in the fight against terrorism.

“If I lose nine or 10 of my men, no one expresses sympathy to the soldiers.

“What about their families? They have children too,” he said.

As of 7pm of Aug 31, 136 government troops were killed in action while battling home-grown Maute terrorists in Marawi City. — Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network