Pardon my French: Duterte slams Callamard over Kian statements

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines – Pardon my French, President Duterte told reporters yesterday as he unleashed anew a slew of invectives at United Nations special rapporteur on summary executions Agnes Callamard.

“T*** i** niya, sabihin mo. Huwag niya akong takutin. P***** i** niya. Gago pala siya eh. Taga-saan ba ’yang buang na ‘yan (Tell her she’s a son of a b****. Don’t intimidate me. Son of a b****. Where does this fool come from)?” the President said.

Callamard has urged the government to make the death of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos the last in its campaign against illegal drugs.

But Duterte said there is no assurance that the teenager, a Grade 11 student, would be the last casualty in his brutal crackdown on illegal drugs in the country.

“Mangyayari nang mangyayari ’yan. Eh sa lugar niya nangyayari, gago ka pala (It can always happen. It also happens in her place. You are such a fool),” the Chief Executive added.

Last Wednesday, Callamard extended her condolences to the family of Delos Santos, who was among more than 90 people killed in what the police described as “one time, big time” operations against drug pushers.

In a Twitter post, the UN rapporteur called Duterte’s war on drugs “cruel” and wrote the hashtag Makehisdeaththelast.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said Kian’s death could be the last if the proliferation of the illegal drugs trade in the country has also stopped, as he cautioned the rapporteur against meddling in Philippine affairs.

Aside from her position on Kian’s death, Callamard also asked Duterte to investigate all “unlawful deaths” and to stop all murders.

But Duterte reminded Callamard, who has been critical of his war on narcotics, that the Philippines is not under the jurisdiction of France.

“French? T*** i**, umuwi siya doon (Son of a b****. She should just go home). They can detain a person almost indefinitely, under French law. And the French law says you are guilty, and you have to prove your innocence. Here, the presumption is you are innocent,” the President said.

Duterte challenged Callamard to visit the Philippines to see the extent of the drug problem herself. “Tingnan mo ‘yung sitwasyon (Look at the situation). Do not ever give me that kind of s***. This is the Republic of the Philippines, not a territory of France. Gago pala siya. Hindi siya nakikinig sa sinasabi ko (She is a fool. She did not listen to what I was saying),” he said. 

The administration invited Callamard to visit the Philippines last December on three conditions, including one that would allow Duterte to question Callamard in a public debate.

Saying it violates protocols on country visits, Callamard refused the offer.