We wonder how the President’s spokesmen and spin doctors can turn this one around. If they still can.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday likened himself to Adolf Hitler who exterminated six million Jews during World War II. Perhaps he got his facts wrong, or perhaps he was trying to soften the blow when he said the number was only 3 million. Three million is also the number of drug addicts in the Philippines he said he would be “happy to slaughter.”
According to the President, he would exterminate the millions of drug addicts to finish the problems of the country and save the next generation from perdition.
Already the reference to Hitler has raised concern among Filipinos and foreigners alike. The vow to kill criminals who are also likely drug dealers and drug users is one thing. The expression of desire to kill millions could well be seen as intent to commit genocide.
Already many have described Duterte’s evocation of Hitler’s unspeakable deeds as unacceptable, obscene and troubling. We agree with all these and with a little more trepidation because this man will determine the course of our nation for the next six years. We are bound by what he says and does.
Then again, this President does not appear to care what anybody thinks of the words coming out of his mouth.
We thought the Holocaust deniers—those who would not recognize that this tragedy even occurred in the first place, much less acknoweldge the lessons humankind has to learn from it—were bad enough.
Now with a jolt we are made aware that our own President does more than deny the extermination of the Jews. He actually believes he could do as Hitler does.
If this is the case, why even construct drug rehabilitation centers? Why even employ professionals to help treat and restore those who by their wrong choices became dependent on illegal drugs?
There is bound to be some clarification. There always is, after an explosive statement such as this one. We doubt, however, if anything can still erase the initial impact of Mr. Duterte’s words, or the lasting impression that our President is controversial, unpredictable and, on so many counts, just plain wrong.