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VERA FILES FACT CHECK: He came from Vietnam, not Laos

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THE president is confused.

On October 4, President Rodrigo Duterte apologized for the infamous Hitler remark when he met members of the Jewish Association of the Philippines in a visit to Beit Yaacov Synagogue in Makati.

STATEMENT:

“But one day, when I was coming home from Laos, I was a bit tired, we were on the plane. We arrived at 2 o’clock in the morning from the ASEAN Summit. And, part of the briefing was really that I was pictured by the media guys, especially those who are against me, on the political side, the other side of the fence, that I was portrayed and pictured as a Hitler.

And so true to my character actually. I am one who would never say ‘no,’ I am not that. I just would ride and say, ‘okay, Hitler and I will slaughter this three million drug addicts.’ But in doing so I mentioned the word ‘Jewish’ and that was what was terribly wrong.”

(Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=195&v=aVijqvyuTk0 from 2:20 to 3:14)

FACT:

Duterte actually came from an official visit in Vietnam–not Laos–on Sept. 30 when he mentioned Hitler.

“Close your doors, it’s winter time. There are migrants escaping from the Middle East. You allow them to rot and then you’re worried about the death of about 1,000, 2,000, 3,000?

Hitler massacred three million Jews.

Now, there is three million, there’s a three million drug addicts. There are.

I’d be happy to slaughter them.

At least, if Germany had the Hitler, the Philippines would have, you know, my victims, I would like to be—all criminals to finish the problem of my country and save the next generation from perdition.”

(Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=922&v=kKpaHBG6d3M from 14:28 to 15:21)

He arrived in Davao from Jakarta, where he proceeded after the 2016 Asean Summit in Laos, on September 10.

He has mixed things up, those in the drug matrix and lists might say, not for the first time.