At Yad Vashem, Duterte says ‘never again’

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte concludes his visit to Yad Vashem by saying he hopes the world has learned from the Holocaust.

“Never again. May the world learn the lesson from this horrific and benighted period of human history,” he writes in the guestbook. “May the hearts of peoples around the world remain forever open, and may the minds of all men and women learn to work together towards providing a safe haven for all those who are being persecuted.”

Duterte drew outrage two years ago when he compared his brutal anti-drug campaign to the Holocaust, and himself to Hitler, saying he would be “happy to slaughter” 3 million addicts. He later apologized for the Hitler comment and Holocaust reference, but not for the pledge to continue his ruthless war on drugs.