After comparing himself to Hitler last Friday, saying he would "be happy" to exterminate the 3 million drug users in his country, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte apologized to the Jewish community for his reference to the Holocaust. "I apologize profoundly and deeply," said Duterte. "I wish to clarify here and now that I never meant to derogate the memory of [the] 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis," he said. "Hitler massacred 3 million Jews. Now there [are] 3 million, what is it, 3 million drug addicts [in the Philippines]. I'd be happy to slaughter them. At least if Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have [me]," he said. The controversial president made an additional apology at the Beit Yaacov Synagogue in Manila with leaders of the Philippine Jewish community and Israeli Ambassador Effie Ben Matityau. "Please accept my apology. This will not happen again. We will always be friends," he said. However, Duterte has awoken another wave of controversy by telling U.S. President Barack Obama to "go to hell" because of Washington's refusal to sell certain weapons to the Philippines. Duterte said that both Russia and China were willing suppliers of said weaponry. Duterte, 71, has been nicknamed "the Punisher" for his tough stance on crime. More than 3,100 people have been killed since he took office three months ago.
Video: Reuters
Duterte's infamous address, given in his hometown of Davao City, sparked global outrage and was condemned by Jewish groups and politicians.
