Philippine Pres. Rodrigo Duterte: 'I'm Happy to Slaughter 3 Million Drug Addicts, Like Hitler Killed Jews'
Controversial Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has compared himself to German Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in his plan to kill 3 million drug users in his country, which has drawn outrage and condemnation from Jewish groups.
Reuters reported that during a speech in Davo City on Friday, Duterte said: "There are 3 million drug addicts (in the Philippines). I'd be happy to slaughter them."
"If Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have ...," he added, pausing and pointing to himself.
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"You know my victims. I would like (them) to be all criminals to finish the problem of my country and save the next generation from perdition."
Duterte has taken a tough stance on drugs and criminal activity in the Philippines since taking power in May, but has been accused of human rights violations by watchdog groups for killing over 3,100 drug users and dealers.
He has also found himself in hot water with world leaders, such as U.S. President Barack Obama, who earlier in September canceled a planned meeting with Duterte over highly offensive remarks the Philippine president made.
Duterte had earlier warned Obama not to criticize him for the killings of drug users.
"I am a president of a sovereign state and we have long ceased to be a colony. I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody. You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions. Putang ina I will swear at you in that forum," he said, using the Tagalog phrase for "son of a [expletive]" or "son of a whore."
Several Jewish groups have spoken out about their outrage at Duterte's most recent comments.
"What President Duterte said is not only profoundly inhumane, but it demonstrates an appalling disrespect for human life that is truly heart-breaking for the democratically elected leader of a great country," World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder said, as reported by BBC News.
Rabbi Abraham Cooper, head of the Simon Wiesenthal Center's Digital Terrorism and Hate project, added that "Duterte owes the victims (of the Holocaust) an apology for his disgusting rhetoric."
The Anti-Defamation League argued that Duterte's comments were "shocking for their tone-deafness."
"The comparison of drug users and dealers to Holocaust victims is inappropriate and deeply offensive," said Todd Gutnick, the group's director of communications. "It is baffling why any leader would want to model himself after such a monster."
BBC also noted that Hitler is believed to have massacred close to 6 million Jews, as well as other minorities.
Duterte has sought to defend the mass killings in his country by accusing Western powers of not helping the millions of refugees fleeing war and terrorism in the Middle East.
"You U.S., EU. You can call me anything. But I was never into ... hypocrisy like you," the Philippine leader said.
"There are migrants escaping from the Middle East. You allow them to rot and then you're worried about the death of about 1,000, 2,000, 3,000?"
In other controversial comments made earlier this week, Duterte, who describes himself as a believer in God who rejects religion, asked why God doesn't intervene and stop babies from being raped and killed.
"Where is now God when a 1 year old baby, 18-months-old baby is taken from the mother's arms brought under a jeep and raped and killed? So where is God?" he asked, as part of broader comments on the crackdown of crime in his country.
