MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to resort to emergency powers and enforce them “to the hilt” to deal with relentless criticism of his human rights record, crimes and government wrongdoing.
“There’s no difference actually between martial law and a declaration of national emergency,” said Duterte, who placed the entire Mindanao last year under martial law to battle Muslim militants.
“Even with this meager emergency power, I will use it to the hilt (to) put things in order,” the brash-talking leader said in a late-night news conference upon arrival from a South Korean trip.
Duterte has threatened before to resort to authoritarian rule nationwide if lawlessness worsens beyond control.
Looking exasperated, the President warned that he would place problematic government agencies under his office so he could supervise them directly.
He has publicly fired several officials for alleged corruption, excessive foreign trips and other unspecified wrongdoings.
“I’m warning all of you criminals, all, in government or outside of it. I will make radical changes in the days to come,” he said.
“For those offices which could no longer be put under control, I will place you under the office of the president. I’ll be the one you’ll face every day.”
It was unclear what triggered the volatile leader’s latest outburst.
The 73-year-old former mayor of Davao City drew widespread condemnation at home after he kissed a married Filipina on the lips in front of thousands of Filipino workers in a town hall meeting in Seoul.
He has repeatedly lashed out at United States and European officials, United Nations rights experts and watchdogs for raising alarm over his bloody crackdown against illegal drugs.
His administration has also been blamed for rising inflation after it pushed through with a government tax reform package and for being soft on China in South China Sea disputes.
During the news conference, Duterte asked before a reporter had a chance to speak, “What is your question, about the kissing?” He went on to explain that the controversial act was “pure showbiz” done without malice and aimed at entertaining the huge Filipino crowd.
“That’s my style … There is nothing wrong in a simple kiss (and) you cause an uproar. They’re just envious,” he said while acknowledging that he may be confronted by his two daughters when he returns home.
The kissing episode sparked another uproar when an official and one of Duterte’s fierce backers, Mocha Uson, uploaded a video that showed the late Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. being kissed by women on board a plane shortly before he was assassinated by soldiers at Manila airport in 1983.
Aquino’s killing sparked protests that ousted then President Ferdinand Marcos three years later.
Aquino’s daughter, actress and host Kris Aquino, slammed Uson in emotional remarks and warned she would confront her if Uson did anything that would besmirch the reputation of her parents, who are revered pro-democracy champions. (AP)
