Duterte vows to keep fighting drug war even as a civilian

President Rodrigo Duterte vowed no mercy for drug lords and said he would continue fighting them even as an ordinary citizen.

"Basta galit ako sa droga. Presidente ako o hindi, galit talaga ako sa inyo, kaya we can continue this fight even if I'm already a civilian," he said in his weekly Talk to the People on Monday.

Duterte has waged a controversial war on drugs in the Philippines since coming to power in June 2016, which left thousands dead, including alleged victims of extrajudicial killings that raised human rights concerns.

Duterte said he'd rather see the drug lords "dead than alive," stressing drugs will make the Philippine society "dysfunctional."

"Pag ginawa mo 'yan sa bayan ko, para na ring tinatapos mo ang buhay namin
Gusto kong malaman ito ng durugista. ...I will forever remain your enemy, 'yan ang tandaan n'yo," he said.

The outgoing chief executive lashed at human rights groups anew criticizing his anti-illegal drugs campaign, saying all they do was "posturing."

"Iyang human rights na 'yan, hindi makatulong sa bayan natin 'yan.  All they can do is posturing, hanggang dyan lang sila. they cannot help the country," he said.

He added that he is worried the proliferation of illegal drugs might go on full scale anew if the campaign is not sustained against drug lords.—LDF, GMA News