Philippine rights advocates and survivors of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos, the country's former leader, criticized President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday for his comments that he is considering of declaring martial law to curb what he called the country's run-away drugs problem.

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In a speech to business leaders in his hometown of Davao on Saturday, Duterte warned that if the country's illegal drugs menace morphed into "something really very virulent," he will declare martial law. Duterte also declared that no one, even the country's Supreme Court, would stop him because the country transcends everything, even the limitations.

Loretta Rosales, 77, accused Duterte of harboring fascist dreams. Rosales, a former chairwoman of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines, was detained and tortured under the Marcos.

"As a martial law victim and survivor, I detest his martial law threat,"  Rosales, a leftist politician, said, adding that Duterte finds governance under the rule of law and human rights an obstruction to the advancement of his political agenda.

Rosales also voiced her opinion that Duterte idolizes Marcos and that his admiration is manifesting in his behavior. Alluding to a September statement in which Duterte compared his war on drugs to the Holocaust, Rosales said Duterte is clearly happy to slaughter millions of Filipinos to ensure he wins his war on drugs.

Duterte's violent war on drugs has led to the reported deaths of at least 6,000 people.

According to the Philippine National Police, approximately 2,200 of the reported deaths occurred in encounters with the police. The rest, including the ones carried out by unknown vigilantes, are classified as "deaths under investigation."

Marcos was elected as Philippine President in 1965 and imposed martial law from 1972 to 1981. He was forced to vacate the presidency in 1986.

TagsPhilippines, Rodrigo Duterte, Human Rights, Drugs