Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte demanded on Wednesday (September 21) the European Union show him respect worthy of a president, despite giving the bloc a one-finger gesture and a vulgar four-letter rebuke after its legislators expressed concern about his drug war.
Angered by last week’s call from the European parliament for restraint in his deadly 11-week crackdown, the former mayor of the southern city of Davao took aim for a second day at the European Union and said he did not deserve insults.
“When I was mayor it was okay, but it is different now because I am the president and I represent the country. I am the president of the republic. Why insult me? Why curse me? You think it is as if I am your subordinate. That is why I am bullshitting them,” Duterte told soldiers at an army base.
After lambasting the United Nations, the United States and its president and Nobel laureate, Barack Obama, the EU is the latest high-profile recipient of a Duterte dressing-down that has become part of his appeal to millions of Filipinos.
Duterte swept to power in a May election promising an assault on the drugs trade and at least 3,800 people have been killed since he took office on June 30.
The European parliament appeared to strike a nerve when it issued a statement calling on his government to “put an end to the current wave of extrajudicial executions and killings”, while expressing concern about “extraordinarily high numbers killed during police operations”.
During a speech on Tuesday (September 20), Duterte hit out at the EU, saying “Fuck you” and raising a fist with the middle finger thrust out in an obscene gesture.
Duterte said on Sunday he may have to extend the campaign against drugs into next year, having understated the depth of the problem.
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