PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, taking a swipe at his critics, on Tuesday reiterated his commitment to destroy the illegal drug trade in the Philippines which he said would be pursued whether or not international groups would push through with their probe on the human rights situation in the country.
“I made it [the destruction of the illegal drug trade] a solemn promise,” Duterte said in his speech during the Go Negosyo 10th Filipina Entrepreneurship Summit in Pasay City.
He stressed: "So the war on drugs will continue with or without ICC [International Criminal Court], with or without the human rights [investigators], with or without the politicians. It will last until the last day of my term as president (in 2022). After that I don't care anymore.”
Duterte said: “Do not destroy my people because I will kill you. Do not put to naught my toil and destroy the young of my country because I will really kill you.’’
At the same time, Duterte said he would not cooperate with his political adversaries with regard to his alleged unexplained wealth and vowed to hit back at his detractors because he did nothing wrong.
“I have this kicking strength in me. It could be ABS-CBN, it could be the Inquirer, it could be someone. I can insult you in public, when I am agitated. You cannot find fault against me,’’ Duterte said.
While the President did not mention Senator Antonio Trillanes IV who claimed Duterte and his family had more than P1 billion in banks, Duterte challenged his detractors to prove the allegations.
“For those who have connections with the Central Bank, Go ahead, I give you the pleasure of …to look into bank account…,’’ the President said.
The President said he would not cooperate with his political opponents in the investigation, reiterating “I would not give you the pleasure of my cooperation.”
“Why should I do? You hunt evidence from me? Do not get it from my mouth or from my efforts. Go to hell and look for it,’’ he said.
He vowed to help and protect the Filipino people under his term saying, ‘‘I have a duty to perform and worse, I made it a solemn promise.’’
Last month, the ICC's Office of the Prosecutor announced it would start its preliminary examination on the alleged extrajudicial killings associated with the Duterte administration's high-gear anti-illegal drugs campaign, which kicked off on July 1, 2016.
The preliminary examination is a procedure conducted by the ICC to determine whether the case falls under its jurisdiction.
Iceland, meanwhile, called on the Philippines during the 37th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland to allow, without preconditions, the UN special rapporteur to look into the drug war and cooperate with the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to receive a mission by independent experts to conduct such an assessment without delay.
Duterte, in response, told police in Davao City last week not to cooperate with any human rights probe.
Malacañang later clarified that Duterte's order was aimed at “biased” rapporteurs including UN special rapporteur Agnes Callamard, a critic of the government’s bloody drug war.
