- Title: In state of nation address, Philippines' Duterte says drugs war will go on
- Date: 24th July 2017
- Summary: VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS ON STAGE
- Embargoed: 7th August 2017 16:32
- Keywords: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte controversial war on drugs international criticism
- Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
- City: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
- Country: Philippines
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0026R2T7B9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:In his annual state of the nation address, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday (July 24) vowed to forge on with his controversial war on drugs and said no amount of criticism or international pressure would deter him.
The crackdown on drugs is the signature campaign that has defined Duterte's presidency and caused an international outcry, with rights groups condemning his administration for a campaign that has overwhelmingly targeted drug users from poor communities, and left narcotics kingpins untouched.
Critics say Duterte has turned a blind eye to thousands of deaths during police operations that bear all the hallmarks of executions. Police say they have shot dead suspects only in self defence and deny involvement in a spree of killings of drug users by mysterious vigilantes.
Some 7,000 protesters from numerous groups gathered outside the Congress Plenary Hall where Duterte was delivering his address to demand peace talks and economic reforms as well as the lifting of the martial law on the island of Mindanao. There, the Philippines military has been fighting Islamist militants who swept through Marawi City for two months. On Saturday (July 22), lawmakers approved Duterte's request to extend martial law to the end of the year on the island, granting greater powers to security forces to go after extremists with a reach that goes far beyond Marawi.
After his address, Duterte came outside and listened to their complaints for several minutes. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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