While delivering a speech for the inauguration of a Misamis Oriental power plant on Thursday, September 22, President Rodrigo Duterte called out UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon along with other European Union officials to come to the Philippines and conduct their own investigations over extrajudicial killings.
“I am formally announcing the United Nations, si Ban Ki—ano ang pangalan ng yawa na iyan. I am inviting the EU, iyong pinakamahusay. Send the best lawyers of your town. Pati ang mga rapporteurs, pumunta sila sa Pilipinas. I will write them a letter to invite them for an investigation,” Duterte said.
The President, however, said that with this right to be heard also comes one condition for him. He is willing to be asked by the UN and EU officials, but he would also like to ask them a specific question in return. “Una kong tanong sa rapporteur, ‘I killed thousands? What was the name of the first victim? What happened? Where, for what reason, how was it done? What time was it?’” he said.
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President Duterte clearly stated his dislike over being lectured by the rapporteurs, saying that he would have let it pass if he was still a mayor but it’s different now that he’s the president. “Pero president ako, lecturan ako ng p—ina niyang rapporteur, tapos sabihin ako—You know there is no crime at all in the Philippines which says I cannot threaten criminals or else I will go to prison,” he said during his speech. He further questioned the past actions taken by his critics over international matters in comparison to his mere “threat” to criminals; citing incidents such as the death of Saddam, the problem in Iraq, and the Syria bombing.
“Kaya ako nagpu—nag-mumura kasi kung sila akala mo with all the pontification and every word that they utter, they would like it to be treated as an ex-cathedra thing,” he added.
Duterte also confirmed that he already sent an order to Executive Secretary Medialdea to write the letter of invitation addressed to the UN and EU officials in a separate speech that he delivered on the same day.
The reason why the President called out the UN and EU officials was because of their recent conveyance of their concern over the war against drugs that the President has been actively engaged in ever since he took office this June.
Sources: (gmanetwork.com, rappler.com)
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