PRESIDENT Duterte on Monday night expressed hope that his successor would continue his war against illegal drugs “if not with the same ferocity that I did, even a little lower than my standard.”
The President, in his Talk to the People address, fears a resurgence of illegal drugs in the country if the momentum of the fight against the proliferation of illicit narcotics is discontinued.
Duterte emphasized anew that illegal drugs are a threat not just to the country but to young Filipinos as well.
“These illegal drugs, I hope that whoever would sit as president would continue the, if not, the ferocity that I did and I accept it, even slightly lower, a little lower than my standard, because it will destroy my country. I’m so worried about the resurgence of the drug problem,” he said in mixed Filipino and English.
Duterte said if not the next president, at least someone in the next administration should find the resolve to continue with the drive against illegal drugs.
He also reiterated that he does not care about the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is looking into the illegal drugs campaign problem in the country.
Vice presidential aspirant and presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio, in her campaign sorties, had vowed to continue the fight against crime and illegal drugs that her father started if she wins in the May 2022 elections.
The President has not endorsed any candidate yet, preferring to be neutral at the moment.
Duterte-Carpio, who is running with former senator and presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. under the UniTeam, said she has yet to talk to her father but respects the President’s decision.
INHERITING THE CABINET
The President spent part of his bi-weekly address to thank some of the members of his Cabinet, adding he hopes to leave them behind to the next administration to be able to help them continue some of the important programs of government.
Duterte believes the next administration would benefit from the experience and knowledge of the likes of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzna and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr.
He said some of the programs and projects under his administration that should be sustained include some transportation infrastructure projects, vaccination, and the COVID-19 response program.
