Dozens dead after Filipino president vowed to ‘kill drug dealing sons of bitches’

THE trigger-happy president elect of the Philippines who vowed to “kill” drug dealers looks to have made good on his promise as scores of criminals have allegedly died at the hands of police in recent weeks.

Rodrigo Duterte called drug dealers “sons of bitches” and referred to himself as a one man “death squad” after riding to power on a wave of hard-line pledges aimed at tackling serious crime.

But police appear to have enthusiastically taken up Duterte's election promises, with 40 suspected criminals reportedly dying the hands of police officers since May 9.

That figure is significantly more than the 39 people killed by police in the previous four months, according to official figures.

The slaughter has prompted Roman Catholics in the Philippines to ask their congregations to recite a special prayer to “reject the culture of death” before Duterte is officially sworn in next week.

Luis Antonio Tagle, the Archbishop of Manila, issued an "oratio imperata", or compulsory prayer, calling on Catholics, who are a majority in the Philippines, to respect life.

It says: "Loving God, look with favour on those who rule with authority over us. Through your loving hands, may prosperity and progress be achieved, may peace and harmony be assured, may freedom and justice be served."

When Mr Duterte was mayor of Davao, a large coastal region, he cut crime at a time when mystery death squads were killing suspected criminals. 

He put his crime-fighting success at the centre of his presidential campaign and made no secret of his methods. 

He said: “All of you who are into drugs, you sons of bitches, I will really kill you.

“Forget the laws on human rights. If I make it to the presidential palace I will do just what I did as mayor."

He added: “They say I am the death squad? True, that is true.”

However, Ronald dela Rosa, the country's new police chief, denied that the recent 40 deaths were the result of work carried out by crooked police collaborators.

He said: “I would know if these people were killed in rub-outs.”

Asked if drug suspects would be given due process under law, he said: "He will be given the right to remain silent — forever."