Duterte to give smuggled Hummers, luxury vans to security troops

FILE: SMUGGLED LUXURY CARS. President Rodrigo R. Duterte inspects one of the contraband luxury vehicles before they were subjected to condemnation and public destruction at Port Irene in Sta. Ana, Cagayan on July 30, 2018. A total of 68 contraband luxury vehicles worth over PHP277 million and eight contraband luxury motorbikes worth over PHP19 million were destroyed as part of the President’s campaign against smuggling and corruption in the government. Joining the President are Cagayan Special Economic Zone (CEZA) Administrator and CEO Raul Lambino and Secretary Bong Go of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President. (Robinson Niñal Jr./Presidential Photo)

MANILA — Over 10 Hummer cars and luxury vans have been spared when President Rodrigo Duterte led the destruction of PHP296-million worth of 68 luxury vehicles and eight motorcycles at Port Irene in Cagayan on July 30.

Duterte said he instructed Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) administrator Raul Lambino to reserve the Hummer vehicles for the police and the military.

“I said, do not destroy it because I’ll give it to the military and the police for their use,” Duterte said in his speech during the joint 68th National Security Council and 69th National Intelligence Coordinating Council founding anniversary Tuesday night at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

On the other hand, Duterte said the vans will be given to the local government in Cagayan.

“Then the vans, because they are within the vicinity of the local governments, these are for Cagayan. Divide these among themselves,” he said.

Duterte said the condemnation of the luxury vehicles was part of his fight against smuggling and corruption.

“I will really go after graft and corruption. I was there in Cagayan yesterday (Tuesday) to destroy — so that it will be finished.

The issue of smuggling kept on coming back and then nobody will get. Then right after a few months, the action office will announce that it would sell. So I said, ‘Stop it because nothing gets there,” the Chief Executive said.

As he promised during the election campaign, Duterte said he will not stop his campaign against corruption, his war on drugs and his administration’s fight against criminality despite strong opposition from human rights groups.

“I do not have the luxury of slowing down even or just ignore what I promised because that gave me victory. I could not be a traitor, turn my back on my promises,” Duterte said.

He said human rights advocates should also consider the lives of policemen killed during legitimate operations against drug personalities and criminals.

“And every day, I lose one or two policemen or soldiers (from) events or incidents connected with drugs,” he said.

Duterte also warned uniformed personnel not to get involved in illegal drugs or murder-for-hire.

“You can be very sure there will be a project for you and really that is to neutralize or terminate you. If I will not do it, nothing will happen to our country at this time when we are all bombarded with drugs, nobody seems to obey the law,” he said.

Duterte urged the police the military to do their duty “in accordance with the law”.