(Eagle News) — Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he brought up “human rights, rule of law and specifically extrajudicial killings” during a conversation with President Rodrigo Duterte on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit.
Speaking in a press conference on Tuesday, Trudeau said he told Duterte he was “concerned with human rights,” and he “impressed upon” him the “need for upholding rule of law.”
This was despite the repeated denials of President Duterte, a former prosecutor, about a widely reported state-sponsored killing of drug suspects in the country.
Recently, Duterte also transferred the Philippine National Police’s authority to conduct drug operations to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, a civilian agency.
According to Trudeau, he “extended Canada’s help “as a friend” so both countries could “move forward to what was the real challenge.”
“The President was very receptive to my comments. And it was a very cordial exchange,” he said.
He said in general, “it comes as no surprise” when Canada brings up a discussion on rule of law and human rights.
Canada, after all, he said, has “earned a reputation for being able to have a strong and sometimes always frank, sometimes firm discussion..”
“I will always bring it up,” he said.