Duterte claims he wants to kill millions, ‘like Hitler’

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday likened himself to Nazi leader Adolph Hitler, saying he wants to kill millions of drug addicts, just as Hitler killed Jews during the Holocaust.

“Hitler massacred three million Jews. Now there is three million, what is it, three million drug addicts (in the Philippines), there are,” he said in a speech in his hometown of Davao City.

“I’d be happy to slaughter them. At least if Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have (me). You know my victims, I would like (them) to be all criminals, to finish the problem of my country and save the next generation from perdition.”

History counts the cost of Hitler’s purges against “undesirables” at six million, the vast majority of whom were Jews.

World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder, in Israel to attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Shimon Peres, condemned the remarks.

“These statements are revolting, and President Duterte must retract them and apologize,” Lauder said. “We just marked the 75th anniversary of Babi Yar, the massacre of more than 33,000 Jews in Ukraine by Nazi Germany... Now, the elected leader of the Philippines openly calls for the mass murder of people who are addicted to drugs.

“Drug abuse is a serious issue. But what President Duterte said is not only profoundly inhumane, but it demonstrates an appalling disrespect for human life.”

The Philippines’ controversial leader campaigned on a hard line against crime, particularly drug offenses, and has in the past uttered statements which have caused many in the international community to recoil.

Since taking office in June, Duterte has stood by his promise to crack down hard on crime, with hundreds of suspected drug users killed by his police force, alongside hundreds of others deaths attributed to vigilante killings.

Police have made thousands of arrests and have implemented a controversial “knock and plead” policy of visiting suspected drug users at their homes and inviting them to register as users with their local community officials.

After the Hitler comparison, Duterte went on to defend himself against criticism from the US and EU, which have expressed concerns about Duterte’s war on drugs and allegations of extrajudicial killings.

“You, US, EU, you can call me anything, but I was never into or I am never into hypocrisy like you. Close your doors and when there’s time, there are migrants escaping from the Middle East,” Duterte said.

“You allow them to rot. And then you’re worried about the deaths of a one thousand, two thousand, three thousand?

“That’s why if you were in my position, why would you not curse? You are portrayed or pictured to be some, a cousin of Hitler, and yet do not even bother to find out to investigate this.”