OPINION:
Controversial new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been hugely successful in combating drug dealers. Unfortunately the tactics he uses to do so are often highly illegal.
He has had the police and his vigilante surrogates kill about 1,800 drug dealers so far. He has not only violated their civil liberties (yes, even despicable drug dealers have rights) but in many cases these drug dealers have been murdered.
Though the Filipino people may now be happy with Mr. Duterte’s progress in fighting drug dealers, they may not be happy for long. Rulers like Mr. Duterte, who often become dictators, move from targeting people such as drug dealers to targeting political opponents. It may not be long before this president has rivals — and anyone else who gets in his way — murdered.
Mr. Duterte, like Ferdinand Marcos before him, may soon turn the Philippines into a tightly controlled police state. There may be less in the way of illegal drugs now flooding the nation, but there’s also far less freedom.
Rulers like Mr. Duterte don’t really care about the people. They just care about themselves and enhancing their own power.
KENNETH L. ZIMMERMAN
Huntington Beach, Calif.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.