Panelo: UN call for probe of PH drug deaths an ‘outrageous interference on sovereignty’

MANILA, Philippines —The call by United Nations (UN) rapporteurs to probe “unlawful” deaths in the government’s war on drugs is “an outrageous interference on Philippine sovereignty” said Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

“The latest call by 11 Special Rapporteurs of the UN for an international probe of the Philippines not only is intellectually challenged but an outrageous interference on Philippine sovereignty,” Panelo said in a statement released Saturday.

Some of the biggest names in human rights performing investigative tasks for the UN issued a joint statement on Friday, calling not only for an investigation of deaths linked to the government’s war on drugs, but also on attacks on human rights defenders in the Philippines.

READ: Rare joint statement of UN rapporteurs calls for probe of PH killings

“Let the enemies of the state and their supporters from foreign soil be forewarned that no amount of destructive narratives against this government will envelop it with the appearance of pretended truth to hoodwink the Filipino people in embracing it,”  the Presidential Spokesperson said.

He added that Duterte’s war on drugs is “pursuant to the primary duty of the state to preserve and protect the people,” and that law enforcement authorities operate on “strict protocols.”

“The eleven UN Special Rapporteurs’ act of peddling a biased and absolutely false recital of facts, adulterated with malicious imputations against the constituted authorities, smacks of unpardonable intrusions on our sovereignty,” he said.

“All these special rapporteurs can present are general allegations culled from false information emanating from the purveyors of status quo ante the Duterte presidency,” Panelo added.

He also spoke of the midterm elections, saying, “The Filipino people have spoken anew, via the just concluded elections. Those who have spoken against the campaign on illegal drugs and human rights record of this President have been overwhelmingly rejected by the Filipino electorate.”

“They have been resoundingly beaten in the polls. These special rapporteurs should by this time realize that they, who believed in the untruthful advocacies of the electorally vanquished pretenders, have likewise been demolished, beyond redemption.  (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)