Duterte willing to be jailed for EJKs if there’s ‘unlimited’ conjugal visits

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte would not mind being incarcerated over the alleged extrajudicial killings in the Philippines due to his administration’s brutal drug war. But he has some conditions: there must be a “comfortable cell” and “unlimited” conjugal visits.

In his fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona), Duterte, as if posing a challenge to critics, said: “Extrajudicial killings? Report to the ICC (International Criminal Court)? Go ahead. As long as I have a comfortable cell.”

“It should be heated during wintertime, installed with air-conditioning during the hot weather,” he added.

Further, the President suggested, “And conjugal visits, unlimited. Para we can understand each other,” drawing chuckles from his Sona audience of lawmakers, Cabinet Secretaries, celebrities, and dignitaries at the Batasang Pambansa on Monday.

Duterte is facing global condemnation for his bloody war against illegal drugs, which – according to government data – has so far claimed at least 5, 000 individuals, mostly from poor communities.

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has adopted an Iceland-led resolution, which called for a comprehensive report on the human rights situation in the Philippines including the Duterte administration’s drug war.

Duterte, in turn, has mocked Iceland as an “ice-eating” nation as he slammed critics of his brutal campaign as “fools.”

The Philippines has pulled out from the International Criminal Court after the international tribunal said it would look into the killings and rights violations in the country.

The Hague-based body has launched a “preliminary examination” on the accusations against Duterte on crimes against humanity in February 2018, following a review of a number of communications documenting the alleged crimes purportedly executed under the guise of an anti-criminality drive. /kga