DFA to UN: Citizens’ rights over criminals

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines, under the leadership of President Duterte, is successfully “salvaging” itself from becoming a “narco-state.”

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano made the statement before the United Nations General Assembly, giving assurance that the Philippine government will protect the rights of law-abiding citizens and law enforcers over the rights of drug lords and criminals.

At the gathering of world leaders on Sunday, Cayetano said reforms made by the Duterte administration have not only prevented the Philippines from becoming a narco-state, but also helped protect the rights of every Filipino.

“As a sovereign and democratic country led by a duly elected President, we are on track in salvaging our deteriorating country from becoming a narco-state, or a state held hostage by the rich and powerful who ignore the plight of the poor, powerless and marginalized – or both,” Cayetano said in delivering the Philippine Statement during the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

He added the Philippine government under Duterte is instituting reforms with the war on drugs protecting the rights of every Filipino.

Cayetano represented Duterte in the annual gathering of world leaders. He said his country was “at one with the UN, in being uncompromising on the issues of rule-of-law,” just and equitable peace that leads to order, development and prosperity, and the protection of “each and every human being’s rights.”

He said the Philippines may sometimes differ in how it expresses itself.

“Yet this should not be interpreted as turning our backs on the universal declaration on human rights,” Cayetano said.

On the contrary, he said the Philippines is instituting all of these reforms to be able to protect the rights of its citizens.

“Yes, rights of all Filipinos, if that is at all possible. But in cases where we have to choose between protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens and law enforcers versus the rights of drug lords and criminals, it is clear we will protect the former,” Cayetano said.

“Who wouldn’t? Wouldn’t you do the same?”

Cayetano praised the UN’s enduring value as the place “to resurrect our hopes and dreams of a better world” but he also said it is “not a place to bury our dead.”

UN officials repeatedly slammed the Philippine government for the war on drugs, drug-related killings and human rights situation in the country.

The UN, Cayetano said, is the place and venue of great opportunity, of putting action to faith and changing the world for the better.

“Faith without action is dead. And the United Nations is not a place to bury our dead, it is a place to rise up, to resurrect our hopes and dreams of a better world,” Cayetano said.

He said the government was also prioritizing economic development, “so that 10 million Filipinos abroad may choose to work at home and abroad, and not be forced by poverty, to find high paying jobs at the expense of leaving the country and separating from their families.”

Cayetano praised the principle of “love thy neighbor” which he said underpinned the UN-convened Global Compact for Migration.

“Issues on migration cannot be swept under the rug, but should be discussed openly, frankly and thoroughly,” he said, thanking “migrants around the world, for inspiring us to have the first, inter-governmentally negotiated compact to cover holistically, and comprehensively, all dimensions of international migration.”

“The Global Compact on Migration is a huge step in the right direction. And this huge step will be even bigger if we can get everyone on board,” Cayetano said in referring to the international agreement that UN member states will be adopting in Morocco in December.

Cayetano also called on member states to put the interest of the global community above their national interests.

Each nation must exert efforts to connect, to emphasize commonalities and not differences, and to think more as global citizens, he said.

“We don’t always have to act as a community but neither can we ignore the fact that there are many problems which can only be solved by a united global community,” Cayetano said.