Philippines President compares his war against drugs to the Holocaust

President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte drew a parallel between himself and Hitler saying he will happily “slaughter” three million drug dealers on Friday, Reuters reported.

“Hitler massacred 3 million Jews, now there are three million drug addicts. I’d be happy to slaughter them. At least if Germany had Hitler the Philippines would have…,” he said, pointing at himself.

Both figures quoted in his statement were incorrect. Hitler massacred six million Jews as well as other minorities during the Holocaust and according to recent figures released earlier this week in the Philippine, the number of drug users in the country is closer to 1.8m, just 1.8% of the population, according to local news website Rappler.

“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 went on to say.

Over 3500 alleged drug dealers and addicts have been killed since Duterte came into power, the majority of which were killed by vigilante militia.

The Filipino president told the press that he was "portrayed to be some cousin of Hitler" when critics accused him of inciting a genocide.

Two days prior to the Philippines’ presidential election, the then President Benigno Aquino had warned that Duterte's rising popularity was similar to that of Hitler in the 1920s and 1930s.

"I hope we learn the lessons of history, we should remember how Hitler came to power," said Aquino.

His comments led to an outcry amongst the Jewish community.

US-based Jewish group the Anti-Defamation League said the comments were "inappropriate and deeply offensive."

The group’s communications director Todd Gutnick said: "The comparison of drug users and dealers to Holocaust victims is inappropriate and deeply offensive. It is baffling why any leader would want to model himself after such a monster".

"What President Duterte said is not only profoundly inhumane, but it demonstrates an appalling disrespect for human life that is truly heart-breaking for the democratically elected leader of a great country," said World Jewish Congress president Ronald S. Lauder.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, head of the Simon Wiesenthal Center's Digital Terrorism and Hate project, called them "outrageous" and demanded an apology to the victims of the Holocaust for this “disgusting rhetoric”.