BUTTON. President Duterte pushes the button during the ceremonial switch-on of the 405-megawatt coal-fired power plant of Filinvest Development Corp. in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental yesterday. At left, Duterte gestures as he speaks about Climate Change and what he said was the “hypocrisy” of developed countries. (PHOTOS BY NITZ ARANCON)
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By NITZ ARANCON, Correspondent

PRESIDENT Duterte yesterday cursed at United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the European Union (EU) again even as he invited them to come over and investigate the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country.

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Duterte extended his invitation on two occasions–the first in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental during the ceremonial switch-on of a new power plant owned by the Filinvest Development Corp., and at Camp Alagar.

Duterte called the UN secretary general “yawa” (literal translation: devil) which is also a cussword depending on how the word is used. Repeatedly, he used expletives as he criticized the UN and EU.

“I am inviting the United Nations, (Sec. Gen.) Ban Ki-moon, I am inviting the EU. Send the best lawyers of your town and also the rapporteurs to come to the Philippines. I will write them a letter to invite them for an investigation,” Duterte said.

But his invitation came with this condition: he would cross-examine them, too, “in keeping with the time-honored principle of the right to be heard.”

Duterte said he would allow the investigators to ask anything in an open forum but he would also ask questions.

He said, “My first question to rapporteur, I killed thousands? So what was the name of the first victim? What happened? Where? For what reason? How was it done? And what time was it?”

Duterte said he never ordered extrajudicial killings, pointing out that his directive was for the police to arrest criminals, and to kill them only if they resisted arrest and fought back.

He lashed out at the UN and EU for “meddling” in Philippine affairs when they were silent about attacks on Arab nations.

At the same time, he said he would also ask American rapporteurs and representatives of EU “about their own sins against the black people” and for bombing Iraq and Syria that killed innocent civilians and children.

“Middle East is a destroyed part of the planet leaving nothing, and that’s why I’m cursing,” he said.

Last week, the EU called on the Philippine government to put an end to the killing of drug suspects and carry out a strict monitoring of human rights abuses.

“Why are your threatening me? Why are you complaining so much about me, threatening the criminals or the drug syndicates if you consider the fact that we have now 3.7 million drug addicts? By the number alone, you can say it’s a serious crime,” Duterte said.

He said his intensified campaign against illegal drugs that prompted more than 700,000 drug pushers and users to “surrender,” and resulted in the killing of more than 1,000 drug suspects in police operations, has pulled down the crime rate by 60 percent.

“There were many killed but they are addicts. What if they killed people?” he said.

Duterte also lashed out at Sen. Leila de Lima, his fiercest critic.

“She better hang herself. She is not only screwing her drivers but she is also screwing the nation,” said Duterte.

On Monday, Sen. de Lima filed Senate Resolution no. 153 urging the Executive department, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), to invite UN special rapporteur Agnes Callamard to initiate a third party and independent investigation into the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III and Sen. Panfilo Lacson opposed de Lima’s proposal, saying there was no need for the UN to meddle in the massive drug campaign of the Duterte administration.

Callamard earlier urged the Duterte administration to stop the extrajudicial killing of drug suspects.

The US has also expressed concern over reports of the spate of drugelated killings in the Philippines.

Duterte came over for the ceremonial switch-on of the 405-megawatt  coal-fired power plant in Villanueva. It started operations in July. (with reports from pna)

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