UN Steps Up War Of Words With Philippines Duterte

MANILA, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th August, 2016) : The war of words between Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and the United Nations escalated Thursday, with a UN envoy warning that "state actors" could be held responsible over hundreds of killings in a controversial anti-drug crackdown. More than 1,500 people have died in Duterte's fight against narcotics, police chief Director General Ronald de la Rosa told a Senate hearing, saying that 665 drug suspects were killed in "legitimate (police) operations" with another 889 were killed by vigilantes. "Claims to fight illicit drug trade do not absolve the government from its international legal obligations and do not shield state actors or others from responsibility for illegal killings," the UN Special Rapporteur on summary executions, Agnes Callamardv said in a statement.

The warning came a day after President Rodrigo Duterte, who swept to a landslide election victory in May largely on a pledge to kill thousands of criminals, called the UN "stupid" and vowed to continue his anti-narcotics offensive despite mounting criticism, including from UN chief Ban Ki-moon. The UN statement, posted on the website of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said Duterte had repeatedly urged police and the public to kill drug suspects, while promising to protect police from prosecution.