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Duterte targets to abolish slavery
Aside from the current administration’s fight against illegal drugs, President Rodrigo Duterte said he also wants to abolish slavery in the country. (PCOO PHOTO)
Aside from the current administration’s fight against illegal drugs, President Rodrigo Duterte said he also wants to abolish slavery in the country.
“There’s one thing that I would like to abolish in this country. I’m not talking of any particular place… itong [this] slavery,” the President said upon his arrival at the Davao International Airport on Tuesday night from his two-day visit to Japan.
According to Duterte, slavery was one of the causes of the hundred year-old hostility between Christians and Muslims in the country and that he wanted to put an end to it, along with human trafficking which is considered as modern slavery.
“I will place you in the level of drugs – kidnapping people and making slaves out of them. You better watch out,” the President said, assuring that he will deal harshly with those involved in slavery or in human trafficking.
One of the examples of slavery that Duterte mentioned was what ISIS-inspired Maute group did to their captives during the battle in war-torn Marawi City.
“I will go after you. Totohanan ‘yan. Pag may nagsumbong dito sa akin na dinala ‘yung anak niya [I’m not kidding. If there’s someone who complained to me that his or her child is taken…] They grow up as slaves thinking that they are really slaves. I do not care whether it’s a Moro or a Christian,” the Chief Executive added.
According to the global slavery index in 2016, the Philippines ranked 33rd among 167 countries with an estimated 0.40% of population living in modern slavery. Around 401,000 Filipinos are living in some form of modern slavery, noting that majority of whom are in forced labor.
“I want that practice stopped because it’s inhuman and you do not consign the life of a certain person to slavery for all time,” Duterte said.
“‘Pag malaman ko, talagang pupuntahan kita [Once I found out, I will get you]. I, myself, as President, will go to you and decide your fate,” the President warned.
