Philippine president says he'd "be happy to slaughter" drug addicts

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Friday he would "be happy to slaughter" the three million drug addicts in the country, apparently likening himself to Adolf Hitler.

Duterte said he was being portrayed to be "a cousin of Hitler" due to reports of the increasing number of slain individuals reaching more than 3,000 who were allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

The President said there are at least three million estimated drug addicts in the Philippines.

"Hitler massacred three million Jews. There are three million drug addicts. I'd be happy to slaughter them," he said upon arrival in the southern city of Davao from his overnight trip to Vietnam.

"At least if Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have, you know (me)," Duterte said, adding he wanted "to finish" the criminals in the country and "to save the next generation from perdition."

He said his critics did not even bother to investigate and continue to accuse him of committing genocide.

Duterte also called the United States and the European Union, among those who raised concern in the rising number of killed individuals in the government's drug war, for being hypocrites.

"You can call me anything. But I was never into or I am never into hypocrisy like you. Close your doors, it's wintertime. There are migrants escaping from the Middle East. You allow them to rot and then you're worried about the death of about 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 (drug suspects)," Duterte added.

The Philippine president has extended his target of eliminating the drug problem in the country until June next year from an initial goal of three to six months since he assumed office.

He said that 800,000 drug users and pushers have already "surrendered" to the police since July 1. Endit