Rodrigo Duterte 'happy to slaughter' addicts as Hitler did Jews

"Hitler massacred three million Jews... there's three million drug addicts. I'd be happy to slaughter them," he said.

At least six million Jews as well as other minorities are known to have been killed by the Nazis.

Mr Duterte has overseen a bloody crackdown on drug users and dealers since taking office in June.

Official figures say more than 3,000 people have been killed in police operations or by vigilantes.

The bodies of those killed are often left out in public, with signs listing the crimes they were accused of.

The president has openly said he would "kill 100,000 criminals" to reduce crime in the Philippines.

'Disgusting rhetoric'

Mr Duterte was speaking in Davao, the city where as mayor he implemented a tough anti-crime policy and was accused of sanctioning death squads to kill criminals.

He told reporters he had been "portrayed to be some cousin of Hitler" by his critics.

"Hitler massacred three million Jews, now, there is three million drug addicts. I'd be happy to slaughter them," he said.

"At least Germany had Hitler. The Philippines wouldn't."

He said he would like to "finish the problem of my country and save the next generation".

His comments were criticised as "outrageous" by Jewish groups, Reuters reports.

"Duterte owes the [Holocaust] victims an apology for his disgusting rhetoric," said Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the US-based Simon Wiesenthal Center.

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

"It is baffling why any leader would want to model himself after such a monster," said communications director Todd Gutnick.

(BBC)