Philippines’ Duterte admits murderous ‘drug war’ is unwinnable

President vows to persist despite horrific death toll
Human Right Watch (US)
Thursday, August 31, 2017

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has admitted that his abusive "war on drugs" is unwinnable. Duterte told a gathering of military personnel that his promise to eradicate methamphetamine use – known as shabu in the Philippines - "won’t be fulfilled, that this [drug use] really will not end." But Duterte’s admission did not include expressions of remorse for the thousands of victims of his "drug war," including dozens of children that he has dismissed as "collateral damage." He instead echoed the message of his July 24 state of the nation address by insisting the campaign will  be "unremitting as it will be unrelenting."