DAVAO CITY - For the first time in two decades, Mayor Rodrigo "Digong" Duterte appeared before city employees in Monday's flag-raising ceremony and spoke for nearly an hour about his oft-repeated campaign against drugs, crime and corruption when he assumes the presidency in two days. Duterte defended his imminent war on crime, hitting out at "stupid" human rights campaigners, and emphasized that the death penalty was for retribution. "These human rights (groups), congressmen, how stupid you are," he said, as he highlighted their criticism of his plans to impose late-night curfews on children being out in the streets and to reintroduce the death penalty. [continues 703 words]
DAVAO CITY-There were no fireworks at President-elect Rodrigo Duterte's victory party on Saturday, as pyrotechnics are banned in Davao City. But who needed them when Duterte himself was there? "You sons of bitches, I will really kill you," Duterte warned drug dealers in a speech to 200,000 supporters celebrating his electoral victory at Crocodile Park. The crowd cheered as the first expletive of the evening exploded from the mouth of the trash-talking city mayor, who will be inaugurated as the Philippines' 16th President on June 30. [continues 879 words]
