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Philippines President Threatens To Withdraw From UN, Says ‘You Have Done Nothing Anyway’

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Jonah Bennett Contributor
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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte blasted the United Nations in a speech Sunday for criticizing his anti-drug policies, saying if the international organization doesn’t back off, the Philippines will simply leave.

“If you are that insulting, son of a bitch, we should just leave,” Duterte said at Davao City in a speech.

CNN Philippines then translated his subsequent comments from Tagalog into English: “Take us out of your organization. You have done nothing anyway.”

Last Thursday, the UN urged Duterte to put an end to the vigilante drug war raging on the streets that has claimed the lives of 850 people since Duterte took office in May of this year.

The number of deaths has quickly escalated as of late, with 650 dying in just the past six weeks.

Figures that high have attracted the attention of the international community.

“Allegations of drug-trafficking offences should be judged in a court of law, not by gunmen on the streets,” UN human rights experts protested in a statement.

“We call on the Philippines authorities to adopt with immediate effect the necessary measures to protect all persons from targeted killings and extrajudicial executions,” UN Special Rapporteur on summary executions Agnes Callamard said.

“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,” Callamard added. “The State has a legally binding obligation to ensure the right to life and security of every person in the country, whether suspected of criminal offences or not.”

The UN suggested Duterte’s actions could constitute a crime under international law.

But for Duterte, hounding from the UN is nothing more than unhelpful, unwanted criticism from abroad.

“When were you here last time? Nothing. Never. Except to criticize,” Duterte shot back.

He called UN experts “stupid” for questioning his order to the public and police to summarily execute suspected drug traffickers.

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