Duterte ready to face UN over extrajudicial killings

MANILA, Philippines – President Dutere is ready to face any sanctions or trial before the United Nations regarding concerns about extrajudicial killings in connection with the government’s war on drugs.

He also challenged the UN to instead recommend actions on how to stop the drug menace in the country, which has been the anchor of the President’s platform for change.

“I am ready to face the UN, if you are ready to solve it for us. I am ready for you,” he said during a briefing with The STAR editors and reporters yesterday.

Save for a few curses, Duterte reiterated that he is bound by duty to protect Filipinos from the drug scourge. 

“I am not fighting a crisis. I am fighting a war (to) exterminate the apparatus,” he said in a speech before volunteers of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, also in Malacañang.

Duterte refused to dignify the condemnation of Sen. Leila de Lima over the spate of extrajudicial killings, saying only that “it is her job.”

“The truth is, pangit siya (she’s ugly),” Duterte said, referring to De Lima.

On Tuesday, De Lima raised concerns over serial killings linked to the government’s campaign against drugs and criminality. She called for a Senate investigation on the matter.

The Palace has not taken a stance on De Lima’s privilege speech, leaving the discussions to legislative branch.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said earlier that international and local human rights groups can express their concerns in the spirit of democracy and the right to free speech. 

“I don’t have a personal comment on that. But they are very free, in other words, it’s also their prerogative to make their own call,” Abella said.

Abella said the administration knows where and how it is treading in the issue. 

“The government knows exactly where it stands, okay. It knows exactly where it stands, it knows its position and… knows exactly the next moves that it needs to make. The government stands on principle,” he said.

Abella said it would be up to the Senate to decide whether to investigate the issues raised by the senator in her first privilege speech.

“President Duterte has not made any comments regarding Senator De Lima and basically that is the job of the legislative to be able to exercise their independent authority,” Abella said in a press conference.

Abella, nevertheless, said the President is “looking” into allegations that law enforcers are resorting to extrajudicial killings in the war against narcotics. – With Alexis Romero, Paolo Romero, Marvin Sy