Rivals in Philippine vote warn of perilous Duterte presidency in campaign finale
Last edited Sat May 7, 2016, 01:21 PM - Edit history (1)
Source: Reuters
Philippine presidential hopefuls held mass rallies on Saturday in a festival-like finale to a divisive campaign and called on voters to block firebrand frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte's path to the presidency.
Pop stars, celebrities and scantily clad dancers entertained big crowds across Manila, two days from an election shaken up by a last-gasp appeal from President Benigno Aquino for a united front to stop Duterte converting his runaway popularity into victory.
Philippine politics is no stranger to controversial characters and opponents of the maverick mayor are alarmed by his incendiary rhetoric and advocacy of extrajudicial killings as a deterrent against rampant crime and illegal drugs.
But there were no signs of Aquino's appeal working after two candidates rejected a pact. Some experts said it could backfire on Aquino's chosen successor, Manuel Roxas, who warned the country was headed towards a Duterte dictatorship.
Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-philippines-election-idUKKCN0XY03W
MANILA: Philippine presidential favourite Rodrigo Duterte vowed to forget human rights if he wins Monday's election and "butcher" criminals, in a typically savage tirade to end an explosive campaign.
Duterte, who has hypnotised millions of voters with his promises to eradicate crime and corruption, repeatedly warned tens of thousands of fans in Manila on Saturday (May 7) night that there would be mass killings under his presidency.
"Forget the laws on human rights," said Duterte, as he boasted of killing criminals during his more than two decades as mayor of the southern city of Davao.
"If I make it to the presidential palace, I will do just what I did as mayor. You drug pushers, hold-up men and do-nothings, you better go out. Because as the mayor, I'd kill you."
In his 90-minute speech, the last of his campaign, Duterte said he would be prepared to kill a criminal even in front of human rights campaigners or other critics. "I will butcher him in front of them if they want," he said.
Duterte, 71, has made his threats to kill criminals the centrepiece of his campaign strategy, outraging critics but winning the hearts of many in an electorate who are fed up with lawlessness and corruption.
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