Philippine resident Rodrigo Duterte called the United Nations “stupid” for questioning his aggressive anti-drug campaign and warned the global organization against interfering in the nation’s affairs, saying hundreds of suspected drug dealers and users have been killed since he took office on June 30. “I have made this country safe from these people who exploit our children, our families and our society”, Gordon said. It is time to file those cases against de Lima, let her defend herself, end the verbal assault and allow this country to move on to the more important issues of governance.
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De Lima did announce getting a witness against Duterte but that was in the previous year of Aquino’s term. We’re both professionals, we’re both public servants.
The UN’s anti-drugs office also this month said it was “greatly concerned” by reports of extrajudicial killings of suspected drug dealers and users in the Philippines.
A visibly upset De Lima said words could not express what she was feeling right now.
Duterte said the ruling would form the basis of its talks with Beijing despite Chinese President Xi Jinping’s statement that China will not accept any actions or future propositions based on the “illegal” ruling.
Duterte has repeatedly said he would back policemen who get involved in fatal encounters with drug suspects, even as doubts are now being cast on the conduct of police operations.
If this is his way of stopping the Senate’s investigation on the extrajudicial killings, De Lima said the President can try until he finally silences her or the Senate.
She said allegations of drug trafficking offenses should be decided by a court of law “not by gunmen on the streets”.
“For those who are killed by the other drug syndicate we can only investigate, but do not attribute the acts of other criminals upon my government”, he said. Leila de Lima is rooted far from the cause of their recent verbal exchange.
“The Liberal Party will stand by and support Senator De Lima”, LP vice chairman and Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin Drilon said in a text message to reporters Wednesday night. “This is no less than abuse and misuse of executive power”, she said. But local media and other groups have higher tallies, some almost 1,000, and have included apparent victims of summary killings.
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A presidential spokesman also added that the attack should not be construed as a warning against those who question the government’s anti-drug campaign.
