Duterte inaugurates
mega drug rehabilitation center
By Presidential News Desk
November 29, 2016
MANILA – President
Rodrigo Duterte led the inauguration of the mega Drug Abuse Treatment
and Rehabilitation Center (DATRC) at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija on
Tuesday, November 29, as part of the administration's efforts to solve
drug problem in the country.
In his speech, President
Duterte said he would fulfill his campaign promise to eliminate
illegal drugs and create a safer environment for the Filipinos.
"Let me warn you, drugs is a
very virulent agent in any society. The campaign against drug will
continue ‘till the last day of my term. I will not stop until the last
drug pusher is out of the street and the last drug lord or king
killed," he said.
The President said the drug
lords have invested on the lives and sanity of the Filipinos.
"Kaya maraming property, mga
hotel, barko, lahat na nandiyan sa kanila," Duterte said.
He said there will be no let
up in the campaign against illegal drugs and the only compromise is
for the illegal drug users and pushers to surrender.
"The only compromise that’s
acceptable to me is you surrender," Duterte said.
"If you continue, I said,
you might end losing not only your funds but your life," he added.
Duterte meanwhile thanked
Chinese philanthropist Huang Rulun who donated the first large scale
drug rehabilitation center in the country, which can accommodate
10,000 drug addicts.
For his part, Huang stated
that the donation was his way of showing support to the
administration’s war against drugs and as a sign of goodwill for the
President’s efforts to strengthen the country’s ties and friendly
relations with China.
Huang is an honorary
chairman of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Association of the
Philippines Foundation, Inc. (FFCAP) and chairman of the board of
directors of Century Golden Resources Group.
During the event, the
President unveiled the marker of the rehabilitation center together
with Huang and the administration’s top officials.
DATRC is located in Fort
Magsaysay, a military camp that occupies a land area of hectares
divided by four zones. It has a total construction area of 60,000
square meters with 172 building units.
Huang first met with the
President in Davao last June 28 before he donated an amount of about
P1.4 billion to construct two drug rehabilitation centers inside Fort
Magsaysay.
In expressing his
appreciation for the assistance extended by Huang to the government,
the President stressed that those whom he consider as the country’s
allies should also help him solve the country’s drug problem instead
of criticizing his administration in its war against drugs.
In his speech, the President
also mentioned the ambush that happened in Lanao del Sur wherein seven
members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) and two soldiers were
wounded. The PSG personnel were part of the advance team of the
President who is set to fly to Marawi City on Wednesday to visit
wounded soldiers fighting the Maute group.
Duterte said he would push
through with his visit despite ongoing conflict in the province.