Manila: Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte slammed the United Nations and called it “stupid” for opposing his controversial war against drugs that has claimed more than 1,000 lives, authorities said on Thursday.
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The Philippines’ fiery new president triggered a war of words that has shocked many Filipinos after he publicly accused a female senator of being an “immoral woman”.
Since Duterte vowed in a campaign promise that he would launch a bloody campaign against drugs, over 1,000 people have been killed by both policemen and civilians, according to ABS CBN.
The State, she added, “has a legally binding obligation to ensure the right to life and security of every person in the country, whether suspected of criminal offenses or not”. “Stop portraying me as one”, she said.
A mother of two who has long separated from her husband, De Lima described the allegations as “very foul” and smacked of “character assassination”.
While he did not refer to de Lima by name in that address, he later confirmed during a speech at Manila’s airport that he was indeed referring to the lawmaker.
De Lima has summoned Philippine National Police Chief, Director-General Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa – a longtime ally of the president – along with human rights groups, lawyers and families of victims to testify.
While De Lima’s haters may have rejoiced over the President’s controversial revelations, there’s at least one other person who thinks he was out of line.
The chair of the Senate committee on justice and human rights said she would pursue her investigation set to begin on Monday.
What can you say about De Lima’s statement?
Senators Franklin Drilon, Risa Hontiveros and Francis Pangilinan rallied to the defense of De Lima, their ally in the administration of President Benigno Aquino III, and urged Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III to initiate a collective stand against Mr. Duterte.
“There’s a hesitation at this point in time to really come in to the Philippines from an investment point of view because the people would rather be at a wait and see situation on how it turns out”, ECCP President Guenter Taus said at the sidelines of an EU-Philippine relations forum on Thursday. “If we bring down the level of discourse to personal attacks, we may be bringing out the worst in people”.
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“Here comes the United Nations, easily swayed, and coming with a very stupid proposition”, Duterte said.
