【2017 Archives】

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has made another offensive comment by wrongly citing the number of Jews killed by the Nazis during the Holocaust017 Archivescomparing the statistics to his anti-drug fight.

During a speech in Davao, Duterte defended his bloody crackdown on drug users and dealers that has left more than 3,000 people dead since June.

"Hitler massacred three million Jews... there's three million drug addicts. I'd be happy to slaughter them," he told reporters after hitting back at those who allegedly portrayed him as "some cousin of Hitler."

Jewish leaders called the comment "profoundly inhumane" and "inappropriate and deeply offensive."

Duterte has become known as much for his recent populist political campaign as for his crime policies.

Earlier in September, he warned Obama not to question him on extrajudicial killings in the Philippines, or "putang inaI will swear at you," he said, using the Tagalog phrase for "your mother is a whore."

But the figures quoted by Duterte in his speech are not accurate.

Hitler massacred six million Jews during the Holocaust. The number of drug users in the Philippines is closer to 1.8 million, just 1.8% of the overall population, according to local media.

Duterte went on to say: "At least if Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have..." pointing to himself.

“These statements are revolting, and President Duterte must retract them and apologize,” World Jewish Congress president Ronald S. Lauder said in Jerusalem, where he was attending the funeral of the late Israeli President Shimon Peres.

"Drug abuse is a serious issue. But what President Duterte said is not only profoundly inhumane, but it demonstrates an appalling disrespect for human life that is truly heart-breaking for the democratically elected leader of a great country."

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said Duterte's comments were "shocking for their tone-deafness".

"The comparison of drug users and dealers to Holocaust victims is inappropriate and deeply offensive," said Todd Gutnick, the group's director of communications. "It is baffling why any leader would want to model himself after such a monster."

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