(Eagle News)– Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella defended President Rodrigo Duterte after United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein criticized Duterte for “lacking of understanding to human rights institutions and principles”.
“As a lawyer and former prosecutor, the President knows the limits of the power and authority of the Presidency. In his inauguration he said, ‘I know what is legal and what is not. My adherence to due process and the rule of law is uncompromising,’”Abella stated.
“President Duterte is a respecter of human rights, but he has also been firm in saying that human rights cannot be used as an excuse to let the spread of drugs in the country run rampant,” he added.
Abella also reiterated that extrajudicial killings (EJKs) should not be linked with the present administration.
“Notwithstanding the accusations hurled against him, no formal charge of human rights violations has been filed. Alleged EJKs are not the policy of his administration,” he stressed.
On Tuesday (September 13), Al Hussein blasted Duterte in his speech at the 33rd session of Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.
Both UN and the United States have criticized President Duterte for the slayings linked with his anti-illegal drug campaign.
However, the Palace clarified that some of the killings were committed by drug syndicates who do the silencing.