Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday equated himself to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and said he would "be happy" to kill three million drug users and peddlers for the country's benefit.
Duterte said in his speech in Davao City that the critics have portrayed him "to be some cousin of Hitler".
"There are three million drug addicts (in the Philippines). I'd be happy to slaughter them," Duterte told Reuters, noting that Hitler had murdered millions of Jews.
"If Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have...," he said as he paused and pointed at himself.
"You know my victims. I would like (them) to be all criminals to finish the problem of my country and save the next generation from perdition," Duterte added.
Nearly 3,500 people have been killed in Philippines in the campaign against illegal drugs trade since Duterte won the May elections in a landslide victory and came to power.
Before becoming the President, Duterte vowed to kill tens of thousands of criminals and to get rid of illegal drugs in the country in six months. However, recently he asked for some more time to complete his crackdown.
Referring to his promise, Duterte said last week: "I did not realise how severe and how serious the drug menace was in this republic until I became president."
Duterte had to face a lot of criticism from the United States, the European Union parliament and the United Nations over what they say are extrajudicial killings. But he rejected all the criticism and responded back at them in an angry manner.
He has publicly linked more than 150 local officials, congressmen, judges, policemen and soldiers to the narcotics trade and warned them to surrender themselves or face the consequences.
Duterte had also said that the security forces who are involved in the illegal narcotics trade would be fired. He also cancelled the gun licences of those officials he named.
