(Eagle News)—Newly installed United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet slammed the Philippines’ drug war, saying it was “not a good model” for any country.
In her address before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Bachelet noted what she said was the drug campaign’s “lack of respect for rule of law and international standards,” and the “27000” people who she said may have been killed based on “several sources.”
“Only one case, a widely reported killing of a boy, has been subject to investigation and prosecution,” she said.
She urged the country to instead adopt a “public health approach,” noting that “drug policies should not be more of a threat to their lives than the drugs they are abusing.”
She also expressed “extreme concern” about Congress’ “consideration” of measures to reintroduce the death penalty, and to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 12, or “even” nine.
“Special Rapporteurs of this Council have been subjected to threats; and opposition politicians, human rights defenders and journalists have been threatened, attacked and jailed,” she added.
President Rodrigo Duterte has been at odds with the UN more than once, after what he said was the body’s unfair criticism of the war on drugs, and its reliance on reports provided by the country’s opposition.
In several of his public speeches, Duterte slammed Agnes Callamard, the special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, with the Palace calling her “incompetent” and calling her out for her unannounced visit to the country in May last year.
The Philippine National Police has maintained the war on drugs was being done in accordance with the rule of law.
The administration has said that if drug suspects were killed, this was because drug suspects resisted arrest and attacked authorities first.
