Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte blamed Bamboo Union(竹聯幫) for illegal drug trade in the Philippines on Wednesday. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte blamed Bamboo Union(竹聯幫) for illegal drug trade in the Philippines on Wednesday. (AP photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte blamed Bamboo Union(竹聯幫), the largest of the three major gangs in Taiwan, and 14K Triad in Hong Kong for the illegal drug trade in the Philippines on Wednesday.

Duterte claimed that many illegal drugs are produced on the high seas and these operations have been taken over by Bamboo Union and 14K Triad. Some discarded empty bins from these drug processing operations have been found floating on the northern sea of the Philippines labeled with Chinese characters, indicating they were of Taiwanese origin, Duterte said.

Speaking of the Triads in Taiwan and Hong Kong, Duterte added, “I do not mean the country and the people, but in a sense most of them are really into this kind of business,” referring to the Philippines as a client state of Bamboo Union.

Some 40% of rural areas in the Philippines have been permeated by drugs, and since taking office, Duterte has launched a controversial campaign to kill drug traders.

Duterte also asked for the cooperation of the United States on the drug issue since Philippines is an transshipment hub for drugs bound for America.

Duterte referred Taiwan to as a source of drugs on September 20, while the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines proclaimed Taiwan as Philippines’ anti-drug partner, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed commitment to further collaboration with the Philippines to attack illegal drugs.