President Duterte lashed out at the United States on Sunday when he spoke up about the killings of African-Americans in his latest outburst against critics and his anti-illegal drug campaign in the Philippines.
In his speech, Duterte threatened to withdraw the Philippines from the United Nations after its human rights experts criticised the killings committed by the newly elected administration.
Reacting to International criticism, and especially targeting the US, Duterte cited the long line of shootings and killings of police and black men that have sparked riots and outrage throughout the United States.
“Why are you Americans killing the black people there, shooting them down when they are already on the ground?” he asked. “Answer that question, because even if it’s just one or two or three, it is still human rights violations.”
Duterte attempted to turn the tables by putting the spotlight on the US – sidelining his involvement in extrajudicial killings throughout the country.
International news sources have brought the killings in the Philippines to front page position – that type of coverage has provoked an angered Duterte to the point he appears to have daily and weekly outbursts against his critics.
The news conference, which was scheduled to last only a short time, ended late into the night, dragging on for over two hours.
The US State Department and two United Nations human rights experts have told Duterte to stop the extrajudicial killings in the fight against drugs and use the law in the manner it was meant to be used.
In his ongoing rant, Duterte said that more than 500 people have been gunned down in the Philippines since he took office. Sources say that number is nearly double, giving light to cover-ups even within his own administration.
Just this week Duterte said that all appointive government seats would be vacated on the idea that corruption has not stopped.
United Nations Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard, told UN officials this week that the Philippines should be held liable for illegal killings of its citizens. In a statement to the press, she said: “Claims to fight illicit drug trade do not absolve the government from it international legal obligations and do not shield state actors or others from responsibility for illegal killings.”
In his long winded speech, Duterte used the image of a bloodied child that went viral throughout the world when a missile struck a building in Aleppo, Syria last week. His comparison noted the inability of the UN and the US to stop such deadly conflicts.
“Look at the iconic boy that was taken out from the rubble and he was made to sit in the ambulance and we saw it,” Duterte said, referring to the photo of a 5-year-old Syrian boy, Omran Daqneesh, that has gone viral online.
“Why is it that United States is not doing anything? I do not read you,” Duterte said. “Anybody in that stupid body complaining about the stench there of death?”
“Maybe we’ll just have to decide to separate from the United Nations. If you’re that rude, son of a bitch, we’ll just leave you,” Duterte told reporters in Davao City.
Duterte brought a solution to the table by saying if the Philippines were to leave the UN he would invite other countries like China and African nations to form a new international body.
When asked about his remarks and the possible repercussions from other countries and the UN, Duterte quickly replied: “I don’t give a shit about them. They are the ones interfering.”
Duterte pondered the ideal that UN officials were attempting to threaten him with imprisonment – something he adamantly said he would sacrifice for his country.
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