By ARGYLL CYRUS B. GEDUCOS
President Duterte slammed the buying and selling of children as supposedly practiced by some tribes in Mindanao, saying he will treat those involved “like drug lords.”
Speaking at the 7th LGBT year-end gathering in Davao City, he said, “There are some tribes in Mindanao and maybe in Visayas and Luzon, that are into this practice of buying children. Huminto kayo diyan or else I will treat you just like a drug lord.”
“I will take a strong stand against this. I will not tolerate it,” he added. “Kayong mga kidnappers ‘pag nahuli ko kayo, I will treat you just like a drug lord. Beyond that, you make your own guess.”
Duterte is particularly concerned about young girls being sold into slavery at a young age.
“Just imagine mag-kidnap ka diyan ng isang bata, ipagbili mo doon sa ibang lugar, and this woman will grow up believing na talagang slave siya and when she reaches puberty, during the menstrual period, after that she is ready for sexual abuse by the owner of the house.”
“She has to suffer and be condemned to slavery for all of her life enduring pain and suffering,” he added.
Duterte is ready to put matter into his own hands if only to solve the problem. “Those are the things that are not acceptable to me. I will not tolerate it. You stop because ‘pag malaman ko, I will pursue you to the ends of the world,” he said.
“And maybe just maybe, tatapusin ko ang problema para sa lahat,” he added.
Duterte has condemned human trafficking even prior to being President, describing the matter as destructive as the illegal drug trade.
