Since taking office 11 weeks ago, around 3,000 people have been killed during Duterte’s crackdown on drug users and suppliers.
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This week Duterte added the European Union to his list of targets, after the European Parliament condemned “the current wave of extrajudicial executions” in his country. “You are doing it in atonement of your sins”.
The EU had urged the Philippine government to investigate abuses “in full compliance with national and worldwide obligations and respect for human rights”.
European Union politicians said in a resolution that Duterte has “publicly stated he would not pursue law enforcement officers and citizens who killed drug dealers who resisted arrest”, and that he should investigate abuses of power “in full compliance with national and worldwide obligations and respect for human rights”.
Mr Duterte has rejected the criticism, calling US President Barack Obama a “son of a whore” and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon a “fool”, and vowing to continue his campaign – which is proving hugely popular domestically and boosting his poll ratings.
The call of the European Parliament to launch an immediate investigation is already being addressed as President Duterte has already instructed authorities to look into these incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice, Andanar explained.
“I don’t know what will happen now, whether this inquiry into the extra-judicial killings will at all be credible”, she said, warning the other senators would try to hide the president’s culpability.
“Who did I kill?” He also added that so many bodies would be dumped in Manila Bay that fish would grow fat from feeding on them.
“Why are you complaining so much about me threatening the criminals of the drug syndicates if you consider the fact that we have now 3.7 million drug addicts?”
The President said “fuck you” to the European Union, and flashed his middle finger, a move that was applauded by his audience.
Sotto said the problem of illegal drugs is so huge that even President Duterte’s mission of drug-free Philippines is no longer possible in this lifetime.
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Duterte has accused de Lima of involvement in illegal drugs, alleging that her former driver took money from detained drug lords. I will tell them: ‘F-you. The vote was called “unprecedented”, by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and gained momentum after a speech by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte’s close political ally.
