- Title: In state of nation address, Philippines' Duterte says drugs war will go on
- Date: 24th July 2017
- Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (JULY 24, 2017) (REUTERS) PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE WALKING TO PODIUM DURING NEWS CONFERENCE VARIOUS OF DUTERTE SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (English/Filipino) PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT, RODRIGO DUTERTE, SAYING: "We didn't know that there was this failure of intelligence, actually. We didn't know how deep (the militants) already were. There were tunnels there and they were stocking explosives. Until now, it seems to be without ... it's not exhausted. Until now, they (the military) are still wondering where they (militants) are getting everything from." VARIOUS OF DUTERTE ENTERING PHILIPPINE CONGRESS PLENARY HALL DUTERTE WALKING TO PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT, RODRIGO DUTERTE, SAYING: "The fight will be unremitting as it will be unrelenting. Despite international and local pressures, the fight will not stop until those who deal in it understand that they have to cease, they have to stop because the alternative are either jail or hell." LAWMAKERS APPLAUDING SCREEN SHOWING DUTERTE DELIVERING SPEECH MUSLIM LAWMAKERS LISTENING TO DUTERTE LAWMAKERS LISTENING TO DUTERTE / SCREEN SHOWING DUTERTE DELIVERING SPEECH VARIOUS OF DUTERTE LEAVING STAGE UNDER APPLAUDS PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE CHIEF RONALD DELA ROSA AND PHILIPPINE MILITARY CHIEF GENERAL EDUARDO ANO APPLAUDING VARIOUS DUTERTE WALKING AMONG LAWMAKERS OUTSIDE, PROTESTERS MARCHING IN STREET TOWARDS CONGRESS PROTESTERS CARRYING BANNERS AND EFFIGY REPRESENTING DUTERTE AS CARICATURE OF NAZI LEADER ADOLF HITLER PROTESTERS MARCHING WHILE CARRYING BANNER READING (English): "STOP MARTIAL LAW IN MINDA NOW!"
- 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: LVA0016R2T7B9
- 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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