Philippine President 'requests' six more months to 'eradicate' drug crime.

With over 3,500 deaths and countless international criticisms of his anti-drug campaign, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte says he will continue the anti-drug campaign for another six months.

Speaking at a press conference in Davao City on September 18, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he would continue his crackdown on drug-related crime for the next six months.

"We need time to get things in order. Give me a little more time, maybe another six months," Channel News Asia quoted Duterte as saying. "I didn't realize how serious and devastating the drug problem was in this country until I became president."

According to AP, more than 3,500 suspected drug traffickers and transporters have been killed since the anti-drug campaign began in June after Duterte took office. Approximately 600,000 others, mostly drug users, have turned themselves in to authorities fearing death.

Duterte's statement comes amid accusations from a former assassin that he ordered the unlawful killing of approximately 1,000 people while he was mayor of Davao.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte wants to continue his anti-drug campaign for the next six months. Photo: Forbes.

The campaign has prompted the United Nations, as well as the United States and several other countries, to express concern about human rights in the Philippines. Despite this, President Duterte has repeatedly affirmed his firm stance in continuing the campaign.

"We launched this operation after carefully considering the drug trafficking activities. It's just that they don't see it because this isn't their country," Duterte said at a press conference on Sunday.

Regarding the campaign, Duterte also said he had "confirmed" a new list of officials involved in drug trafficking. The list has not yet been released.

"Even if I wanted to, I couldn't kill them all because the final report would be this thick," Duterte said, referring to the list.

Therefore, Duterte supported postponing the elections in the "barangays"—the lowest administrative level in the Philippines—scheduled for October. He argued that money obtained from illicit transactions could be used to secure victories for those colluding with drug traffickers.

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