Duterte defends crime crackdown in national address

Manila

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte vowed big reforms to tackle chronic economic flaws on Monday and defended his pursuit of a deadly anti-narcotics war, saying drugs were drowning his country and human rights were no excuse to shield criminals.

Just a month into his presidency, Mr Duterte used his inaugural State of the Nation Address to warn the public to steer clear of drug use, the scale of which was "staggering and scary" and promised no relenting in his crackdown.

Nicknamed "the punisher" and "Duterte Harry" for his brutal fight against crime, Mr Duterte hit back at activists incensed by a surge in the killing of suspected drug traffickers, saying human rights should protect dignity, not let criminals destroy the country. "There will be no let-up in this campaign. Double your efforts. Triple them if need be," Mr Duterte said in a message in support of the police in his speech to a joint legislative session. "We will not stop until the last drug lord, the last financier and the last pusher have surrendered or put behind bars. Or below the grou…