Palace: Duterte promise of 'comfort' for Russian drug suspects legal

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has the authority, as the "architect of foreign policy", to provide comfort to two Russian drug suspects accused of trying cocaine into the country, his spokesman said.

Earlier this week, Duterte told Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev that two alleged Russian drug smugglers detained by Philippine authorities will get a fair trial and "will be detained in a comfortable house." 

"That is within the president's powers. That is legal," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, a lawyer, said in an interview with radio dzMM.

Roque added that Duterte had his reasons for making the assurance particularly after he met with Medvedev at the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Manila.

In their bilateral meeting late Tuesday night, Duterte told the Russian prime minister that the criminal cases of two Russian nationals are still under investigation.

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"Whether true or not, we will find out but I will see to it that they are treated fairly and no additional stress on their person that will happen," Duterte said.

Yuri Kirdyushkin and Anastasia Novopashina were arrested in separate incidents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in late 2016. 

Kirdyushkin was caught with around 10 kg of cocaine while authorities found around 13 kg of cocaine in Novopashina's luggage.

The Duterte administration's crackdown against the illegal drug trade has alarmed the international community due to the spate of extrajudicial killings of drug suspects.

A few months ago, 39 countries expressed concern over drug-related killings in the country and urged the Philippine government to welcome a visit by United Nations special rapporteur Agnes Callamard to look into the killings.

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