Duterte bares more than 150 names of judges, military, police, lawmakers linked to illegal drugs

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday bared more than 150 names of judges, military, police and lawmakers who are allegedly linked to the alarming drug menace in the Philippines.

In a news conference in Davao City in the early hours on Sunday morning, Duterte said there are an estimated 600,000 Filipinos who are drug addicts, pushers and users nationwide.

"I grieve for my country," Duterte said, lamenting that the drug problem has worsened "because government personnel were into it."

Duterte read the long list of names during the news conference that lasted two hours, ordering those he named to report to their mother units within 24 hours. Some of those he named were retired police officers and former local officials from all over the country.

"You are hereby relieved of your duty and immediately report to your mother units," he said. "I'd like to give you the advice: once you hear your name mentioned here you are now relieved of your present assignments."

He also ordered the cancellation of "any and all" firearm permits and licenses issues to them cancelled immediately.

He said judges should report to the Supreme Court, the local government officials to the Department of Interior and Local Government, and the military and the police to their superiors in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)and the Philippine National Police (PNP)within 24 hours.

"If you do not do that I will order the AFP and the entire PNP to hunt for you," Duterte said.

Duterte also ordered to remove the "operational authority" over the military and police officials assigned to mayors and other local government officials he named.

Duterte also named Iloilo, a province in the central Philippines as the most "shabulized" province in the country, referring to the magnitude and extent of methamphetamine use in the region.

He said those names that made it to the list that he read had been validated. "I am the sole person responsible," he said.

On July 5, Duterte also named at least five police generals who are allegedly "protectors of illegal drug syndicates" operating in the country. The police officers are now being investigated.

Since the names of the five generals were bared at least four local officials or former local officials have submitted themselves to the police for further verification. Some have admitted using illegal drugs but denied allegations they are protectors.

Duterte has intensified his war against criminals, especially drug lords. He has also repeatedly warned these drug lords who are preying on the youths of the land, warning that "it's going to be a dirty and bloody fight."

Since he assumed the presidency on June 30, Duterte has ordered the police to crack the whip on drug lords and their protectors that allegedly include police officers and even the so-called "narco politicians."

So far, the media has recorded at least 600 people who were killed in the campaign against illegal drugs. The death toll continues to rise, causing human rights groups to demand an investigation into the unabated extra-judicial killings.

A couple of senators said they plan to initiate an investigation into the spate of vigilante-like killings of people who were marked as pushers and addicts whose bodies are dumped in the streets. Endit