Duterte admits anti-drug war targets the poor

By Roy Ramos ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (AA) – Reacting to a survey that showed Filipinos believe that his administration is not enforcing the law equally, President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said it is because most of the shabu (methamphetamine) users in the Philippines come from the poor community. "Why the poor?” Why are there so many deaths but not the rich?” asked Duterte as quoted by Rappler, a Philippine-based online news portal. “The market of shabu is the poor community," he answered. Duterte was speaking at an event in Southern Philippines Cagayan de Oro City on Friday. Shabu, dubbed as the poor man’s cocaine, is said to be the most popular illegal drug used in the country that damages the brain beyond rehabilitation as Duterte repeatedly claimed. "The millionaires, they do shabu in yachts or they go to the airport to do cocaine or heroin. But heroin and cocaine are derivatives of the poppy. It's not as damaging to the brain," he said. Duterte reiterates his vow to enforce the law equally in order to protect the people and the republic. "I will go against all criminals without fear or favor and enforce the law equally. I never said I will enforce the law, just not on the poor,” said Duterte. A Pulse Asia Research form released earlier a seven percentage drop in the administration’s approval on “enforcing the law on all, whether on influential or ordinary people". It also noted a six percentage decrease of approval on Duterte’s fight against criminality and corruption. Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella early this month admitted that it is an unfortunate “ugly truth” that indeed more poor people were killed in the administration’s drug war. The bloody campaign has killed thousands, police data claims around 3,500. Human Rights Groups assert it reached as high as 13,000 deaths.