UN human rights chief wants Duterte murder claim probed

By Hader Glang

ZAMBOANGA CITY, the Philippines (AA) - The United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights has claimed that President Rodrigo Duterte's admission of guilt with regard to the killing of suspected criminals while mayor of the southern city of Davao clearly constitutes murder.

"Such acts directly contravene the rights enshrined in Article III of the Philippine Constitution,” ABS-CBN reported Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein as saying Tuesday.

The High Commissioner added that the killings described by Duterte also violate international law, including the right to life, freedom from violence and force, due process and fair trial, equal protection before the law, and innocence until proven guilty.

If Duterte encouraged others to follow his example, he may also have committed incitement to violence, claimed Hussein.

On Dec.14, Duterte was reported to have told business leaders at the presidential palace that he had patrolled the streets personally on his motorcycle and killed people.

"In Davao I used to do it personally. Just to show to the guys [police] that if I can do it, why can't you," Duterte is reported to have said.

On Tuesday, the UN human rights chief called on Philippines judicial authorities to demonstrate their commitment to upholding the rule of law and their independence from the executive by launching a murder investigation.

“The killings committed by Mr. Duterte, by his own admission, at a time when he was a mayor, clearly constitute murder," Hussein said.

"It should be unthinkable for any functioning judicial system not to launch investigative and judicial proceedings when someone has openly admitted being a killer.”