Duterte threatens Philippines to withdraw from UN
President Rodrigo Duterte threatened on Sunday that the Philippines would withdraw its membership from the United Nations for interfering in the affairs of the country.
In his early morning press conference in Davao City, the Chief Executive berated UN for criticizing his administration on the alleged extrajudicial killings of suspected drug personalities.
"I do not want to insult you. But may be we'll just have to decide to separate from the United Nations," he said.
"So you take us out of your organization, you have done nothing anyway also," he said, adding that UN was just good in criticizing his government.
"You do food world, where's the food. There's the world, but where is the food? World hunger organization, maybe. When have you done a good deed to my country?," he further exclaimed.
Duterte said the Philippines has been contributing to the UN for many years already.
"UN, the joke is on you. You have to refund me with the so many contributions that they (Filipinos) have made all these years," he said.
Two UN human rights experts earlier slammed the Duterte administration for the rising number of suspected drug personalities being killed.
Duterte, who assumed office on June 30, has explained that those about 1,000 drug suspects were killed in legitimate police operations.
But the other reported executions were apparently done by the drug syndicates themselves, he has said.
The President, in the same press conference, however, said that he was willing to sit down with the UN representative to explain his government's campaign against illegal drugs.
"I would like to invite, there was somebody who told me that there was a UN expert that Duterte is not doing enough, to come to the Philippines, have a conference to me in public," he said, noting that the UN expert could ask him questions.
"I am just a simple trial lawyer, so why don't you come here and let's talk about what you are talking about. Extrajudicial killing, I would do the explanations in public, for international release if you want," the President added.
He said the UN experts should not just make statements against his administration's war on illegal drugs by mere relying on newspaper reports.
He reminded UN that he was not a mayor anymore, but the president, who represents the country.
Duterte was also criticized for the alleged extrajudicial killings of suspected criminals in Davao City during his stint there as mayor for about two decades.
"You know, United Nations, if you can say one bad thing about me, I can give you 10," he stressed. DMS
