Rodrigo Duterte, Philippines’ presumptive president, has said he wants to bring back the death penalty, and empower security forces to “shoot to kill” anyone that resists arrest.
The controversial figure whose tough-on-crime stance brought him a landslide win last week in national elections, reiterated his views on capital punishment Sunday at a press conference saying “if there is no fear in the law or attached to the law…it’s useless.”
“What I would do is urge Congress to restore the death penalty by hanging, especially if you use drugs,” he said according to CNN Philippines.
The country abolished capital punishment in 2006.
“If you resist arrest…you offer a violent resistance, my order to the police or the military is to shoot to kill,” he added.
The 71-year-old has a long track record of incendiary — sometimes outlandish — claims.
Last week, he promised to step down if he failed to fulfill his promise to stamp out corruption in six months — a feat experts say is impossible.
While on the campaign trail, he said he would execute 100,000 criminals and dump them into Manila Bay, and has suggested killing people as mayor of Davao.
Although official election results have yet to be announced, with 38.6% of the vote, Duterte’s winning margin is indisputable.
Who will be Duterte’s deputy, however, is not so clear.
Vice-presidential candidate Leni Robredo has the lead with more than 90% of votes tallied, but on Sunday, Bongbong Marcos, son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos who was narrowly behind Robredo claimed he’d won, and alleged irregularities in the count.
