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The Philippines does not need to heed the call of Iceland foreign minister to allow a United Nations Special Rapporteur to conduct an investigation without preconditions over the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country, an official said on Tuesday.

In the 37th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council, Iceland Foreign Affairs Minister Gudlaugur Th?r Th?rdarson urged the Philippines to accept the UN Special Rapporteur without preconditions.

"We would like to take this opportunity to urge the Philippines to continue on that path and accept without preconditions or limitations a visit from the UN Special Rapporteur and to cooperate with the Office of the High Commissioner to receive a mission by independent experts to conduct such an assessment without delay," he said.

He also welcomed the preliminary examination being conducted by the International Criminal Court against President Rodrigo Duterte who was accused of committing crimes against humanity due the the deaths of thousands of people who were allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

"The International Criminal Court announced earlier this month that it will conduct a preliminary examination into killings linked to Philippine government's war on drugs. This is an important development," Iceland minister said.

But he also urged the Human Rights Council to conduct its own investigation on the Philippines being an elected member of the HRC.

"This is an important development but it does not take the responsibility away from this party to fulfill its duty to monitor, investigate and to deliberate and take further steps including a more formal Council initiative if the need arises, to try and assure that the Philippine meets its human right obligations," Th?rdarson said.

"States which join the Council should lead by an example and expect their own human rights record to be subject to particular scrutiny during the time as members. If the Human Rights Council does not hold its own members to account to ensure they uphold the highest human standards in the promotion and protection of human rights, then who will?," he added.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said any rapporteur who will go the country must have the consent of the government.

"There's no one that can compel a state party to allow an investigation if it does not want to do so. Of course, the statement of the Iceland Ambassador is an expression of his home state, but it’s an expression that we don’t have to heed. Again, if they’re going to send a Special Rapporteur to the Philippines, it must be someone credible, someone who is an authority in the field that they seek to investigate in, and must be objective and unbiased," he said.

But definitely, he said UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Agnes Callamard is not welcome in the Philippines.

"Agnes… definitely not Agnes. As I have said before, it’s her fault that the home state does not want her in," Roque said.

Duterte earlier said he would only allow Callamard to the Philippines if she would agree to have a debate with him in public regarding alleged human rights violations of his administration.

Roque said a Special Rapporteur must be trustworthy.

"The fact that there is no way that Agnes Callarmard can be allowed to investigate in the Philippines, proves that she has failed in this regard," he said.

He recalled that former UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston was allowed in the country.

As a presidential adviser adviser on human rights, Roque said he has at least one rapporteur whom he could recommend to conduct an investigation.

But he refused to divulge who the rapporteur is. Celerina Monte/DMS