Manila: Philippines’ newly-elected President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Thursday that his predecessor had told him to maintain the “war on drugs”, a controversial anti-narcotics campaign that has killed thousands of Filipinos.
Outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte launched a crackdown on drug suspects after taking power in 2016.
According to official figures, more than 6,000 Filipinos have been killed in the anti-drug campaign. International rights groups estimate the death toll at between 12,000 and 30,000.
In the first media address since his announcement as the next president, Marcos said Duterte told him it was important that the campaign continued.
“I fully appreciate what he said,” the new leader told reporters. “The drug problem continues to be a problem in the country and we must continue to look at it as such.”
He said Duterte had told him to pursue the campaign on his own terms.
“‘Continue the anti-drug (war) I started. Do it your way. Do what you want with it, just don’t put it aside because it will be young people who will suffer. Their lives will be ruined ,'” he quoted Duterte as saying.
The Philippines has come under UN pressure to investigate allegations of systematic killings as part of Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.
International Criminal Court investigators launched an investigation into the War on Drugs in September last year, saying it appeared to be “a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population” and could be a crime against humanity.
The investigation was suspended two months later to assess a postponement request from the Philippine government and has not resumed since.
Marcos, the son and namesake of the late Philippine dictator, and his running mate Sarah Duterte-Carpio, the daughter of the incumbent president, were declared the winners of the May 9 election, after Duterte and Vice President Lenny Robredo, who won their six. Will fulfill the -year terms on June 30.
It was not immediately clear how Marcos planned to implement the anti-drug campaign, but one of his election promises was the continuation of Duterte’s policies.
The nominated executive and press secretaries of the incoming administration did not respond to repeated attempts to reach him on Thursday.