The United Nations may send observers to the Philippines after it has expressed concern regarding what the worldwide organization deems as Pres. Duterte’s empowerment of the police to eradicate the drug problem.
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Duterte repeatedly had said he did not want to anger China with an aggressive response, and sent an envoy to ease tensions, but on Wednesday signalled he was prepared to adopt a more confrontational approach.
At the senate hearing, Yasay said the United States will not allow China to reclaim Scarborough Shoal, a rocky outcrop near its former US Navy base in the Philippines, because it will impede in the freedom of navigation.
“It’s better to continually engage China in a diplomatic dialogue rather than anger whoever the officials there and they cut completely”, Duterte said Tuesday night, adding that possible talks on maritime and security issues would be undermined if ties are strained. They were shrouded to protect their identities from police, who they say are responsible for the extrajudicial killings of their husbands and sons. “They’re happy with what the police are doing”.
According to Dela Rosa’s report, a total of 1,779 people have been killed since Duterte took office on July 1.
There has been speculation in the local media that some of the killings were carried out by corrupt police officers who were wiping out drug peddlers to avoid exposure.
The war on drugs has widespread support, with Duterte enjoying a 91% approval rating at the end of July, largely due to his hard-line position.
After the hearing, dela Rosa was mobbed by people demanding selfies, while supporters chanting his nickname “Bato”, or rock. “I hope this hearing will help bring a resolution to the drug problem”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Philippines’ National Union of Journalists (NUJP) on Tuesday slammed Sen.
Human rights groups, law makers and others have said that the security forces are carrying out killings on an unprecedented scale.
He has previously urged citizens to shoot and kill drug dealers who resisted arrest, and reiterated that the killings of drug suspects were lawful if the police acted in self-defence.
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“He has sought to intimidate domestic critics of that campaign and dismissed global critics as ‘stupid.’ Other countries, including the United States and European Union members, should make it clear to Duterte that inciting such violence is unacceptable and will reap potentially severe diplomatic and economic costs, beyond the human one”. China has also offered law enforcement equipment to bolster Manila’s drug war.
