In a welcome usually reserved for rock stars, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was greeted with loud cheers when he met members of the Filipino community yesterday at the end of his two-day state visit to Singapore.
Despite the heavy rain in the early afternoon, long queues formed outside the registration area of the Max Pavilion and Hall 9 at the Singapore Expo.
Mr Duterte’s hour-long speech touched on a range of subjects, from his controversial war on drugs and the international community’s criticisms of human rights abuses, to the recent protests against the burial of former president Ferdinand Marcos.
He acknowledged reports in international media earlier this week about his remarks that he personally killed suspected criminals when he was mayor of the southern Philippine city of Davao, to set an example for the police.
“They are not wrong. I will really kill them,” he said of the reports, but stopped short of admitting carrying out any killings personally.
His speech, while laden with expletives, was met with approval and cheers. Three out of four Filipinos in Singapore who voted in the May election chose him to be their leader.
Mr John Yap, 39, a banking executive, said he supported the President’s efforts to eradicate illegal drugs. “I believe he is sincere, and the high number of those surrendering to date is a good sign of traction. However, he needs to manage citizens’ concerns of errant police officers and clear up the perception that only the poor is targeted in this drug war,” he said.
In his speech, Mr Duterte also slammed the United States for tying aid to his country to human rights, and accused it of treating the Philippines like a “dog on a leash”.
Earlier this week, a US poverty reduction agency said its board was reviewing development aid due to concerns about the “rule of law and civil liberties”.
Mr Duterte also recalled a US senator’s effort to block arms purchases last month. He said he did not care as the Philippines can always get weapons from China and Russia.
On the protests last month in the Philippines over the burial of former president Marcos, who has been accused of widespread graft and corruption, in a heroes’ cemetery, Mr Duterte defended his decision, saying it was time for the country “to end the hatred”.
Mr Duterte also expressed gratitude for the sacrifices made by the more than 180,000 Filipinos working and living in Singapore, whose remittances help prop up the economy. He reassured them that he will continue to battle corruption, and promised to make government services more efficient.
Ms Maria Cristina Nable Jra, 26, a customer service executive, said she was happy to hear the President’s remarks. “I can feel his sincerity in wanting to help the overseas workers here in Singapore. Listening to his speech inspires me to work harder.”
ctrixia@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on Dec 17, 2016.
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