President Rodrigo Duterte revealed yesterday that an invitation is being readied for representatives of the United States and the European Union, similar to a UN rapporteur welcoming his formal invitation to investigate extrajudicial killings in the country.
He made the announcement, apparently still unaware of the UN rapporteur’s reaction, at the 115th anniversary of the Philippine Coast Guard in Manila.
In his remarks, Duterte said the UN High Commission on Human Rights is “now in limbo” and couldn’t decide whether to send special rapporteur for extrajudicial killings Agnes Callamard.
“You don’t go about reprimanding. When I was mayor, good, but these idiots, they don’t realize I’m already the President and if there’s an issue of human rights, since we’re all members of UN, go there and ventilate the issue, ask one of the commission’s organic bodies,” Duterte said.
In her Twitter account (@AgnesCallamard), the UN rapporteur indicated she is ready to go to the Philippines upon Duterte’s invitation.
Callamard said she welcomed “media report of invitation to visit the #Philippines to investigate the #EJE. Waiting for the letter and confirmation by official channels.”
Duterte has made it clear he is ready to answer “everything under the sun” regarding alleged extrajudicial killings in the conduct of his anti-drug campaign.
He said he could not bear the realization that the Filipinos were put on the spot because of the international attention caused by the UN’s criticisms of his vicious way of dealing with drug offenders.
He stressed it’s the reason he does not respect his international accusers anymore, as he warned his critics to “be prepared for the worst” as he had “gallons and gallons of epithets, curses.”
“The UN body can also bring a case before the Security Council and make recommendation if they want me investigated. Fine,” the President said.
Source: Philippine Star
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