Philippines’ Duterte says will never apologise for drug war deaths

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MANILA (Reuters) – Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte stated on Tuesday he will never apologise for the deaths of suspected drug customers and sellers killed in police operations below his war on medication that has alarmed rights teams.

More than 6,200 drug suspects have died in anti-narcotics sting operations since Duterte took workplace in June 2016 till November 2021, authorities information exhibits.

“I will never, never apologise for the deaths,” Duterte stated in a weekly nationwide tackle. “Kill me, jail me, I will never apologise.”

Rights teams and critics say legislation enforcers have summarily executed drug suspects, however police say these killed have been armed and had violently resisted arrest.

Duterte, in his first nationwide tackle this yr, vowed to guard legislation enforcers doing their responsibility, telling them to battle again when their life is in peril.

Duterte, 76, gained the presidency by a large margin in 2016 on a platform of anti-corruption and legislation and order.

The firebrand chief is constitutionally barred from searching for re-election subsequent yr. Analysts say an ally getting elected might defend Duterte from any authorized motion over his anti-narcotics programme.

Judges on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in September authorised a proper investigation https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/international-court-approves-investigation-into-philippines-war-drugs-2021-09-15 into Duterte’s war on medication. The ICC suspended https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/icc-prosecutor-suspends-probe-into-philippines-drugs-war-2021-11-19 the probe in November following a request by the Philippines, which cited its personal investigations.

Duterte unilaterally cancelled the Philippines’ ICC membership in March 2018, a month after its prosecutor stated a preliminary examination over the medication war was below approach.

(Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Alison Williams)



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