MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte lambasted human rights groups discrediting his administration’s war-on-drugs gains in his first appearance at the High-Level General Debate of the 75th United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.
Duterte said both well-meaning and ill-intentioned groups were using this issue to attack his administration.
“They attempt to discredit the functioning institutions and mechanisms of a democratic country and a popularly elected government which in its last two years, still enjoy the same widespread approval and support,” Duterte said.
“The Philippines will continue to protect the human rights of its people, especially from the scourge of illegal drugs, criminality and terrorism,” the President added as several countries expressed concerns over the impact of drug war-related killings under his administration.
The country’s chief executive also said some groups were protesting against the government’s supposed human rights violations but “they themselves were guilty of committing such violations.”
“These detractors pass themselves off as human rights advocates while preying on the most vulnerable humans; even using children as soldiers or human shields in encounters. Even schools are not spared from their malevolence and anti-government propaganda,” Duterte said.
The President furthered that he is for “open dialogue and constructive engagement” with the United Nations (UN) as key to move forward on the issue of human rights.
“But these should be done with full respect to the principles of objectivity, non-interference, non-selectivity, and genuine dialogue,” Duterte said. “These are the fundamental bases for productive international cooperation on human rights.”
In the previous years, Duterte dared to cut diplomatic ties with the UN and the European Union over issues on the administration’s handling of human rights./PN
