Yasay says Philippines not leaving UN
Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay on Monday said the Philippines does not intend to leave the United Nations, a day after President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to bolt from the world body over remarks by two U`N human rights rapporteurs over killings amidst the country’s war on illegal drugs.
“We are committed to the UN. We are not leaving the UN,” Yasay said. He said the Duterte administration’s war on drugs are “very urgent and critical domestic matter.”
Criticizing the two rapporteurs who called for the killings to end, Yasay said they broke protocol when they criticized the government, making assumptions based on media reports.
“These rapporteurs are mandated to make proper inquiries and there are protocols to conduct such probes,” Yasay told a press conference. “They are not acting in accordance with existing procedures in engaging and cooperating with member states.
“At this point in time, the damage has been done,” Yasay said. “If they make a request they already concluded arbitrarily that we violated the human rights of people. I think that’s putting the cart in front of the horse.” “What they will just do? Make a request and they just validate the irresponsible statements? It doesn’t make sense at all.”
