President Rodrigo Duterte is mulling to return to the Philippine National Police the authority to lead the anti-drug operation if the narcotics problem becomes serious again.

In a speech on Saturday night in an event in Davao City, Duterte said that neither United States President Donald Trump nor the human rights groups could prevent him to allow again the police to take the lead in the war on drugs instead of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

"If the human rights are thinking that Trump or whoever human rights can stop me, I'm sorry. The drug problem, if it becomes worse again, the police has to enter the picture," he said.

Duterte said as much as possible, he wants to eradicate the drug problem in the country.

"It's an organized crime...the act of one is the act of all. The liability of one is the same liability for all," he said.

He said drugs are "merchandizer for the poor."

He noted that usually the rich people do not use methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu because they knew that "it would drive their mind to insanity forever" because it is a chemical.

Duterte said those who want to stop him from his anti-illegal drug campaign should kill him first.

"If you want me to stop it, then kill me, period. Oust me, at least I don't have any duty," he said.

Due to criticisms on extrajudicial killings allegedly perpetrated by the police, Duterte ordered PDEA in October to take the "sole" authority in the war on drugs.

He has said he would see in six months what would happen to the campaign against narcotics under PDEA. Ella Dionisio/DMS