Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday he would invite foreign critics to come and investigate him for a spate of killings in the anti-drug war that has become a hallmark of his time in office.
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“But… after they question me, I will question them, one by one in open forum… then you will all see how I will beat those devils”.
“I’ll write them a letter to invite them for an investigation but in keeping with the time-honored principle of the right to be heard, after they ask me questions, I’ll ask them one by one”, he added.
“I asked the police to go after them and if they present a violent resistance, kill them”.
Duterte maintained security forces were not behind the torture and extralegal killings of drug personalities.
Referring to “those who were killed with their hands tied”, he said it was the “handiwork of co-conspirators in the drug trade”.
Casiple said the perception of China and other countries in the region was that the Philippines was too aligned with the United States and other Western powers including the European Union. I’m telling them, ‘F**k you.
Over the past month, Duterte has slammed critics of the drive, including the United States, following their calls for the president to stop reported extrajudicial killings taking place in the Philippines in the fight against illegal drugs.
Duterte said he has lost respect for the EU.
His statement follows a recent broadside he launched at the European Union after the bloc blamed him for stoking up anti-drug violence, with Duterte reinforcing his message through the use of his middle finger.
Since his election, 3,000 have been reportedly killed in Duterte’s new national drug war.
Last month, a United Nations human rights investigator asked to be allowed to visit the Philippines to look into the abuses but the Duterte government swiftly rebuffed her.
Duterte is no stranger to launching outbursts littered with profanities against high-profile world leaders, with US President Barack Obama also being on the receiving end of a tirade of abuse.
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Last week, Duterte asked for another six months to get rid of the drug menace, saying he was not aware of the gravity of the illegal drug problem until people surrendered and after intelligence reports were submitted to him.
