Philippine senators yesterday cautioned President Rodrigo Duterte to moderate his language and act like a statesman as he countered attacks on his deadly war on drugs.
Senator Richard Gordon said the president was “falling on his own sword” for being “too noisy” in publicly expressing his desire to combat the drug menace.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, a former police chief, said it was “appropriate” that Duterte issued an apology to the Jews for his remarks about Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, but it should be his last.
“There have been a lot of times, so it’s should be his last apology. He should just be careful in what he says,” the senator said.
Duterte, on Friday, lashed out at his critics for comparing him to Hitler in his war on drugs.
“Hitler massacred 3mn Jews. Now, there are 3mn drug addicts (in the Philippines) ... I’d be happy to slaughter them,” he said.
Nazi Germany under Hitler murdered according to some estimates as many as 13mn non-combatants during World War II in what would be known as the Holocaust, with Jews being the largest group targeted. Some 6mn Jews are believed to have died.
The president said on Sunday that he “profoundly and deeply” apologised to the Jews saying it was not his intention” to denigrate the memories of the Jews killed during the reign of Hitler.
“The president is noisy, too noisy. It is just right for him to express his anger against drugs, but he must not make too much noise and say ‘I will kill you,’ it’s not right,” Gordon said.
“That is why he is falling on his own sword, because he is talking a lot, prompting accusations that it was really what is happening in the country,” he added.
“We have to protect the country from bad statements and the president has the duty to be a statesman,” he said.
Duterte’s response to comments has been affecting the Philippines’ relations with other countries.
The United Nations, the European Union, the United States and human rights groups have expressed alarm at the rising number of drug suspects being killed, reminding Duterte to follow the rule of law.
Describing the EU as hypocrites, Duterte said the bloc is trying to “atone” for its sins and “guilt feelings” over occupying other countries in the past.
“I have read the condemnation of the European Union. I’m telling them, ‘(expletive) you’,” Duterte said last month.
Duterte has also expressed regret for his remark on  President Barack Obama in response to US criticisms of human rights violations.
Because of the remark, the US leader cancelled a meeting with Duterte during a regional summit in Laos early last month.
Gordon, who chairs the justice committee holding hearings on extrajudicial killings, said the international community should not be so alarmed because the Senate is investigating the war on drugs.
“The law has not been thrown (out), so don’t be afraid of the Philippines because the Senate is investigating,” Gordon stressed. He added that the police department is probing policemen involved in the questionable killings of suspects.