Duterte to UN expert: I want debate, not drama
President Rodrigo Duterte in his second State of the Nation Address (Sona) lambasted anew United Nations special rapporteur Agnes Callamard for criticizing his drug war’s supposed disregard for human rights and due process.
“If you want to criticize stop there but don’t give the excuse or don’t make it trivial by saying human rights and due process. ‘Yan ang pinaka bugok na gawin ng isang tao (That is the lamest thing a person could do),” Duterte said in his speech on Monday.
“When you talk about an incident, condemn it but don’t connect it with due process and human rights. Magmukha kang gago sa harap ng Pilipino (You will look like a fool in front of the Filipinos),” he said.
Duterte then challenged Callamard, who went to the Philippines to attend a drug policy forum, to a public debate.
“Can she be a moral person? Puro kayo drama d’yan (She’s full of drama),” a visibly irked Duterte said, drawing applauses from an audience composed of lawmakers and VIPs.
Duterte also slammed critics of his drug war who “give so much premium on what western experts say.”
“Kapag maraming namatay at nirereape na mga bata, hindi kayo umiimik. Tapos maya-maya pagdating nu’ng mga western experts you give so much premium on what they say,” he said as the audience applauded.
(When there are people murdered or kids raped, you remain silent. But when western experts visit here, you give so much premium on what they say.) IDL/rga
