Palace: UN probers should answer Duterte grilling under oath

The United Nations (UN) officials who will come to the Philippines to investigate alleged extrajudicial killings should be able to answer questions from President Rodrigo Duterte under oath.

“Since it is this administration that is maligned as being behind these extrajudicial killings, due process requires that the President of the Philippines Republic, be given the opportunity to propound his own questions which every nation recognizes,” the letter sent to the UN read.

“It would be best to put everyone to whom questions are directed to swear under oath that the answers and/or responses they give are the truth and nothing but the truth,” the letter added.

The letter, signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, was dated September 28.

Duterte earlier accepted the challenge of the UN to investigate alleged extrajudicial killings under his administration provided they follow Philippine laws and they will also be subjected to questioning.

Medialdea said allowing the President to question the UN officials would “fortify his right to due process”

“I suppose that that would further fortify his right to due process which requires that the party against whom a charge is levelled, is accorded the opportunity to propound his own questions to whomever he deems appropriate, including your good self,” Medialdea said.

The executive secretary said Duterte was interested to know the “motive for the investigation, and why the focus is on the Philippines.”

“After all, the party charged is entitled to know the motive for the investigation, and why the focus is on the Philippines when there are other nations responsible for the death of innocent and defenseless individuals elsewhere in the world. Those are extrajudicial killings too, are they not?” he said.

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