Malacanang downplayed on Wednesday the call of the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights for judicial authorities to investigate President Rodrigo Duterte following his admission that he killed people when he was mayor of Davao City.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the incident Duterte referred to that he could have killed three suspected kidnappers was covered by media and it was a legitimate police action.

"The UN Commissioner is free to express his views regarding that matter," Abella said.

"It's already been under scrutiny in the past, but it has already been addressed as far as we know," he added.

UN High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said in a statement Duterte's recent admission that he shot dead suspected kidnappers contravenes the rights enshrined in Article II of the Philippine Constitution and and the international law.

"The killings committed by Mr. Duterte, by his own admission, at a time when he was a mayor, clearly constitute murder. It should be unthinkable for any functioning judicial system not to launch investigative and judicial proceedings when someone has openly admitted being a killer," Al Hussein said. Celerina Monte/DMS