Video courtesy of Radio-Television Malacañang

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday deplored the alleged involvement of some Chinese citizens in the narcotics trade in the Philippines.

At a fellowship held in Malacañang, Duterte claimed that some drug suspects killed in local police operations are Chinese nationals.

"Itong mga namatay dito na unclaimed, sino ang mag-claim niyan e most of them really are Chinese. That's my lamentation," he said.

He added that some Chinese citizens lead drug rings in the country even when they are already behind bars.

The President vowed that when the right time comes for him to meet with the Chinese officials, he would ask them why most of their citizens who enter the Philippines are supposedly involved in illegal drugs.

"Sabihin ko sa China one day, bakit ganito ang sitwasyon? Why is it that most of the guys that come here do drugs, pati sa looban (ng kulungan)?" he said.

The President recently named three alleged bigwigs in the underground trade.

Among those he identified was Cebuano-Chinese businessman Peter Lim. The other two were Peter Co and Herbert Colangco.

Duterte said there are other "persons of interest" in the illegal drug trade case, including local officials, prison officials and Chinese nationals.

READ: Duterte to name more drug personalities soon