President Duterte Inaugurates Mega Drug Rehabilitation Center

President Rodrigo Duterte led the inauguration of the mega Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (DATRC) at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija on Tuesday, November 29, as part of the administration’s efforts to solve drug problem in the country.

In his speech, President Duterte said he would fulfill his campaign promise to eliminate illegal drugs and create a safer environment for the Filipinos.

“Let me warn you, drugs is a very virulent agent in any society.The campaign against drug will continue ‘till the last day of my term. I will not stop until the last drug pusher is out of the street and the last drug lord or king killed,” he said. The President said the drug lords have invested on the lives and sanity of the Filipinos. “Kaya maraming property, mga hotel, barko, lahat na nandiyan sa kanila,” Duterte said. He said there will be no let up in the campaign against illegal drugs and the only compromise is for the illegal drug users and pushers to surrender. “The only compromise that’s acceptable to me is you surrender,” Duterte said. “If you continue, I said, you might end losing not only your funds but your life,” he added.

Duterte, meanwhile, thanked Chinese philanthropist Huang Rulun who donated the first large scale drug rehabilitation center in the country, which can accommodate 10,000 drug addicts. For his part, Huang stated that the donation was his way of showing support to the administration’s war against drugs and as a sign of goodwill for the President’s efforts to strengthen the country’s ties and friendly relations with China.

Huang is an honorary chairman of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Association of the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (FFCAP) and chairman of the board of directors of Century Golden Resources Group. During the event, the President unveiled the marker of the rehabilitation center together with Huang and the administration’s top officials.

DATRC is located in Fort Magsaysay, a military camp that occupies a land area of hectares divided by four zones. It has a total construction area of 60,000 square meters with 172 building units. Huang first met with the President in Davao last June 28 before he donated an amount of about P1.4 billion to construct two drug rehabilitation centers inside Fort Magsaysay.

In expressing his appreciation for the assistance extended by Huang to the government, the President stressed that those whom he consider as the country’s allies should also help him solve the country’s drug problem instead of criticizing his administration in its war against drugs.

In his speech, the President also mentioned the ambush that happened in Lanao del Sur wherein seven members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) and two soldiers were wounded. The PSG personnel were part of the advance team of the President who is set to visit Marawi City on Wednesday to visit wounded soldiers fighting the Maute group. Duterte said he would push through with his visit despite ongoing conflict in the province. (PND)