President Duterte claimed that gangsters are the ones behind the proliferation of illegal drugs in the country.

The President however again clarified that he is not blaming the Chinese government for the country’s drug problem, especially after the P6.4-billion illegal drug shipment from China which slipped past the Bureau of Customs (BOC) May this year.

“Well, let me just say that the Chinese triad, the Bamboo gang has taken over. Most of those gangsters, Chinese, have taken over the business and has established the control of all drugs,” he said in his speech in Balangiga, Eastern Samar Thursday afternoon.

“China government has nothing to do with it. The Chinese people have nothing to do with it,” he added.

Duterte also clarified that the Triad he named is not just composed of Chinese members, but Filipinos, too.

“It’s the gangsters of the Philippines and China combined. They combined together, making the life of the Filipinos miserable,” he added.

Duterte was in Balangiga to deliver a speech for the 116th commemoration of the Balangiga Encounter. However, his speech was aired belatedly over the Presidential Communications Facebook page Thursday evening.

According to Duterte, the Bamboo triad has taken over the drug trade and their production of illegal drugs is located in the “high seas”. He also connected the Abu Sayyaf Group.

The Taiwan-based United Bamboo triad gang was previously linked by the South China Morning Post in 2015 to Hong Kong’s 14K triad.

“Sila na ang nagluto sa barko, tapon nang tapon na lang (They are cooking the substance inside a ship then they just throw it in the sea). And they had franchises. They have a franchise given to the Abu Sayyaf in–kasi may armas eh at nakapag-trabaho (because they have arms and are able to work),” Duterte claimed.

“Nakakapagluto, distribute, kasi may armas. Sinasadya nila ‘yan (They are able to manufacture and distribute because they are armed. They are intentionally doing that),” he added.

Duterte said the triad puts the finished products in cans with Chinese markings and equipped with a global positioning system (GPS).

“Then they put it in cans with Chinese markings and throw it overboard but with a GPS attached. So that ‘yung mga lieutenants dito (the lieutenants here) will just look for it and find it,” he explained.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos

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