Philippine president-elect offers bounties for drug lords

MANILA — The Philippine president-elect said Tuesday he will pay bounties to police or military officials who capture suspected drug lords “dead or alive,” adding that there is enough reward money to leave “100 persons dead.”

Duterte, 71, whose six-year term starts June 30, won an overwhelming election victory on a promise to eradicate crime and corruption in the country within six months, a feat police officials say will be difficult to achieve.

Army and police units will check on each other to punish personnel involved in drugs, and special forces could be deployed in jails to make sure inmates who continue to deal in drugs will “no longer be standing,” he said.

Duterte, who has stayed in Davao city since the May 9 election, introduced a number of his Cabinet appointees at the news conference, including officials who have served under previous presidents, former college classmates, close political allies and a handful of left-wing activists.

Duterte’s bold approach to crime and public threats to kill criminals have resonated among Filipinos long exasperated with crime, but have sparked alarm among human rights groups and pro-democracy advocates, who fear Duterte may resort to strongman tactics.

Asked to comment on unsolved killings of journalists in the country, he said many of those slain were paid to take sides on issues or had overly criticized people who couldn’t tolerate personal attacks.