THE Philippines’ permanent representative to the United Nations defended President Rodrigo Duterte in Geneva amid criticisms from the chief of the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights, saying Duterte did not issue any “shoot-to-kill” order against drug suspects.
During the second day of the 33rd Session of the Human Rights Council in response to Al Hussein’s report, Cecilia Rebong said Philippine police had the right to defend themselves when drug suspects violently resist arrest.
Rebong said the Duterte administration’s ongoing war against illegal drugs firmly followed the “rule of law, due process and human rights principles.”
Rebong said that while Duterte launched an anti-illegal drug war unparalleled in Philippine history for its tenacity, Duterte, in his inaugural speech, affirmed his respect for human rights and the rule of law.
She said Duterte had, in fact, urged civil rights organizations to report any killings that were not in accordance with his pronouncements on the anti-illegal drug campaign.
Rebong said the government was investigating the killings committed by vigilante groups and drug syndicates, and was committed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
She said Duterte had urged civil rights organizations to report any killings that were not in accordance with his pronouncements on the anti-illegal drug campaign.
Rebong said the rising number of people being killed in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs included deaths resulting from legitimate police operations, killings carried out by vigilantes, and drug syndicates allegedly undertaking a purge among their ranks.
