Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said he personally killed suspected criminals when he was mayor of a southern city to set an example for the police.

Duterte made the comments in a speech late on Monday night to businessmen as he discussed his campaign to eradicate illegal drugs that has seen police officers and unknown assailants kill thousands of people since he became president on June 30.

After speaking about the police killing suspects during the current crime war, Duterte said he led similar efforts when he was mayor of Davao, the major southern city that he ruled for most of the previous 20 years.

“In Davao I used to do it personally. Just to show to the guys (police) that if I can do it, why can’t you,” Duterte said in his speech at the presidential palace.

“And I’d go around in Davao with a motorcycle, with a big bike around, and I would just patrol the streets, looking for trouble also. I was really looking for a confrontation so I could kill.”

Duterte, 71, also responded to criticism from human rights groups and US President Barack Obama about his anti-crime tactics, vowing he would not be intimidated by their criticism into stopping.

AFP/File / Noel CELIS Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign to eradicate illegal drugs has left thousands of people dead

“Sorry, I am not about to do that,” he said

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