President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech during the 9th anniversary of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and the 25th anniversary of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) at the SMX Convention Center in Davao City on February 19, 2019. ALBERT ALCAIN/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

President Rodrigo Duterte vowed in a speech in Malacañang that a harsher war on drugs is to be expected in the remaining three years of his term.

In his interview with Palace reporters after the signing of several new laws, Mr. Duterte implied there will be a “bloodier” and harsher campaign in his administration’s drive against narcotics as he now views the illegal drugs menace as a national security threat.

“I think so. I could not be more emphatic and be clearer about it. Stay away from drugs because it is an enemy which can cause destruction of a country or will render it a failed state. I told you, do not f*ck with my country. You destroy my country, I will kill you,” the President stressed.

“I will declare war and raise it to the level of national security. National security is a game of self-preservation. Either I destroy you or you destroy me. Since I am the President, it behooves upon me to see to it that my country is safe,” he said.

“What I really want is to end this problem during my watch. I have three years left and I am putting notice to everybody I will not allow my country to be destroyed by drugs,” he said.

“I am declaring war, I am not declaring a punitive police action,” he added.

The President said that he agrees with human rights groups in that “life is sacred.”

“I do not want to kill people,” he added.

The President, however, said alleged drug trafficker Peter Lim, who is the subject of a manhunt, should never surrender to him alive.

The Chief Executive made the remark during the ceremonial signing and turnover of newly-signed laws in Malacañang on Wednesday.

“I am warning those in the Visayas. Peter Lim, if I were you, I would commit suicide. Never ever surrender to me alive. You will commit suicide. Tie the rope around your neck yourself,” an obviously miffed President said in his speech.

“Because I will jail him for 200 years. So, better to just commit suicide,” he continued.

Lim has yet to be caught by different law enforcement agencies after being indicted by the Department of Justice (DoJ) last year for his supposed involvement in the illegal drug trade.

He was earlier identified as the supplier of crystal meth, also known as shabu, that was peddled by self-confessed drug pusher Kerwin Espinosa in 2013 and 2014.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive backed the plan of Interior and Local Secretary Eduardo Año to release the list bearing the names of so-called narco-politicians.

“Yes. I agree. I’m really against drugs. But it’s up to Año to decide. I do not interfere with his office,” stated Mr. Duterte.

“Social dysfunction is what I wanted to avoid because if the breadwinner of a family goes down, everything in that family becomes dysfunctional,” he said.

“Now that I am President, my duty, reduced in two sentences is this: to protect the people and to serve the Republic of the Philippines,” Mr. Duterte added.

The Palace also bared an executive order that puts into effect the President’s vow to distribute government lands to the poor as it ordered departments, bureaus and offices to identify idle government-owned lands.

Duterte has repeatedly voiced out his desire to distribute government-owned lands to farmers.

In a speech during the ceremonial distribution of Certificates of Land Ownership Award in Buluan, Maguindanao, Duterte also told communist rebels that he was willing to give them lands, if they return to the fold of law.

Duterte signed Executive Order 75 on 15 February, but a copy of which was released to media only yesterday.

Under the order, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) must acquire all lands devoted to or suitable for agriculture for the purpose of eventual distribution to beneficiaries.

Within 30 days from the effectivity of the order, all agencies must identify their lands suitable for agriculture and submit a list to the DAR.

The list should indicate the location and area of the said lands, actual use and legal basis of ownership.

“The DAR, in coordination with the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources), shall cause the preparation of an inventory of government-owned lands devoted to or suitable for agriculture and no longer actually, directly and exclusively used or necessary for the purpose for which they have been reserved or acquired. Agencies whose lands are covered by such inventory shall be furnished a copy thereof,” the order read.

Within the 60 days from the effectivity of the order, the DAR and the DoJ must jointly formulate the implementing rules and regulations regarding the validation, segregation, transfer and distribution of “identified” government lands.