Rody ready to shoulder expenses of rights advocates’ visit

MANILA, Philippines - President Duterte has denied any hand in the vigilante-type execution of drug suspects and asked human rights advocates criticizing his anti-drug war to come to the Philippines to see the situation for themselves.

He even promised to shoulder all their expenses, including toilet paper. “I will fund you. I will pay. I will even buy you your toilet paper,” Duterte said in a late night press conference in Davao City last Wednesday.

As this developed, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said Sen. Leila de Lima would not be summoned or invited to the House investigation into the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison during her term as justice secretary.

Alvarez said this was part of inter-parliamentary courtesy as he also clarified the Senate inquiry was different as it focused on extrajudicial killings in the course of Duterte’s war on drugs.

Duterte, who has been accused of condoning the summary execution of suspected drug personalities, said while he was trying to address a huge problem, his critics were doing nothing but talk.  

“Mga gago kayo (You fools). Don’t talk and talk there. I have a problem here. (We have) 600,000 (drug addicts),” he added.

Duterte challenged human rights groups to also consider the law enforcers and soldiers who died in anti-drug operations.

“Is there anybody among you human rights advocates who are counting the dead soldiers and policemen?” the President asked.

International human rights groups have expressed concern over the spate of killings in the country, which has been attributed to the intensified drive against illegal drugs and crime.

Amnesty International asked Duterte to “fulfill his inauguration pledge to uphold the country’s commitment to international law and lead a break with the country’s poor human rights record.”

Human Rights Watch said the situation in the Philippines could now be a considered a “national emergency.”   

The group also claimed that the Philippine government was “trampling” on the freedoms and universal rights of Filipinos.

Suspected drug pushers and other criminals are found dead and wrapped in packing tape since the President launched his war against illegal drugs. In the case of supposed pushers, a cardboard sign that reads “Pusher ako, ‘wag tularan (I am a drug pusher, do not emulate me)” is placed on top of the body.

The President reiterated he would own up and be responsible for all the killings related to legitimate police operations.

“I do not deny that there are encounters between the police and the drug (suspects). I told them (police) to fight. Look at the dead policeman, he was chased and shot. The suspects really put up a fight because they are drug crazed,” Duterte said in Filipino. – With Delon Porcalla