Having had enough of the pontification of the West over his bloody drug crackdown, President Duterte is planning to invite the United Nations and European Union to visit the Philippines and probe the alleged spate of extrajudicial killings.
The President said he was ready to be grilled by the “best lawyers” from these international bodies over the drug-related killings in a public forum.
“I am inviting the United Nations, si Ban Ki – hindi ko alam ang pangalan ng yawang ‘yan, Ban Ki-Moon, Ban Ki-Sun – I am inviting the EU, send the best lawyer of your town pati ang mga rapporteurs, pumunta sila sa Pilipinas. I will write them a letter to invite them to an investigation,” Duterte said during the launch of a new power plant in Misamis Oriental.
The President, however, gave a condition to his openness to the foreign probe over the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country. Duterte said he should also be given a chance to ask the UN and EU officials “in keeping with the time-honored principle of the right to be heard.”
“Matapos nila ako tanungin, tanungin ko sila. Isa-isahin ko sila in open forum. You can use the Senate or Folk Arts center whatever. Everybody will be invited,” he said.
Duterte, a lawyer by profession, expressed confidence that he could ably counter the allegations hurled by his foreign critics that he was behind the summary executions of drug suspects. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)