Joel Guinto, ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-social"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="350" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bevwb7_v7Ns" width="100%"></iframe></figure><p>MANILA - Presidential race frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte sought the support of the country&#x27;s business elite on Wednesday with a profanity-laced vow to kill criminals and grow the economy.</p><p>&quot;Relax, I am not the man I am portrayed to be by some,&quot; Duterte said to nervous laughter from members and guests of the Makati Business Club.</p><p>The 71-year-old mayor of Davao City said he would hire an additional 3,000 policemen and would double the salary of security forces to start a bloody war against crime, the effects of which, would be felt within weeks.</p><p>&quot;I am castigated for being brutal and honest. It will be a bloody war, and for those who are already there, they will never go back,&quot; he said.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/nation2/04/27/042716_du30.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is welcomed at the Makati Business Club forum on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>&quot;You need a mayor to say: I am in charge,&quot; he said, as he took a swipe at his rivals.</p><p>Duterte said he would implement infrastructure projects that were held up under past governments due to a lack of &quot;political will.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We have to continue with public spending and we have to continue the projects that will ease up congestion in traffic,&quot; he said.</p><p>He said he would also continue the conditional cash transfer program, which gives the poorest o the poor a monthly allowance as long as they keep their children in school.</p><p>&quot;I will not hesitate to copy the projects of Noynoy (Aquino) or (Gloria) Arroyo that will redound to the benefit of the people. Hindi ako nahihiya mangopya.&quot;</p><p>The prospect of a Duterte presidency appeared to unnerve investors as the Philippines posted a net outflow of foreign funds in April, bucking a trend of net inflows for emerging markets, BDO Unibank chief investment officer Fedrico Rafael Ocampo told ANC on Tuesday.</p><div><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/halalan2016/business/04/26/16/foreign-fund-outflows-show-poll-jitters-bdo"><strong>Foreign fund outflows show poll jitters: BDO</strong></a></div><p>Duterte widened his lead over nearest rival Sen. Grace Poe in the most recent <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/halalan2016/nation/04/24/16/frontrunner-duterte-unscathed-as-rivals-hold-punches"><strong>surveys</strong></a> by Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations (SWS), despite public outrage over his joking about the rape of an Australian missionary in 1989.</p><p>Duterte defended the joke during the MBC luncheon on Wednesday.</p><p>&quot;It was slang, galit lang, buti pa itong animal na ito pangit naman ang ganda ng asawa, you are derogating his manhood,&quot; he said.</p><p>It was the latest in a string of controversial antics by the motorcycle-riding mayor. He has cursed at Pope Francis for causing traffic jams during his January 2015 visit to Manila and kissed scantily-clad women in the mouth during campaign rallies.</p><p>He also vowed to <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/halalan2016/nation/04/24/16/duterte-wants-to-be-a-hero-in-dispute-vs-china"><strong>ride a jet ski</strong></a> to one of China&#x27;s artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea to plan to plant the Philippine flag there.</p><p>Duterte claims he transformed the southern metropolis of Davao into one of the country&#x27;s safest cities during his family&#x27;s over two-decade reign.</p><p>Human rights groups however accused Duterte of tolerating vigilante &quot;death squads&quot; that have targeted the city&#x27;s petty criminals, some of them minors.</p><div><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/halalan2016/nation/04/23/16/top-philippine-candidate-pushes-kill-criminals-message"><strong>Top Philippine candidate pushes &#x27;kill criminals&#x27; message</strong></a></div>

Presidential race frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte sought the support of the country's business elite on Wednesday with a profanity-laced vow to kill criminals and drug pushers.

'Relax,' Duterte tells businessmen as he pitches anti-crime war

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'Relax,' Duterte tells businessmen as he pitches anti-crime war

Joel Guinto,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 27, 2016 01:42 PM PHT

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Updated Apr 27, 2016 02:48 PM PHT

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