Philippines ‘not withdrawing from UN’ despite spat

By Hader Glang and Roy Ramos

ZAMBOANGA CITY, the Philippines (AA) - The Philippines' top diplomat underlined Monday that the country would not withdraw its membership to the United Nations, despite threats made by the president after the bloc’s rapporteurs criticized killings under his campaign against illegal drugs.

"We are committed to the UN despite our numerous frustrations with this international agency," Perfecto Yasay Jr. was quoted by the Philippine Daily Inquirer as telling reporters.

On Sunday, President Rodrigo Duterte described the UN as an “inutile” organization unable to end wars and maintain peace among member states.

“Maybe we just have to decide to separate from the United Nations,” he said.

The remarks came after two UN rapporteurs released a statement Thursday describing the president's statements on security forces’ operations against drug suspects as a "license to kill".

Last week, national police chief Gen. Ronald dela Rosa told a Senate hearing that 665 drug suspects were killed in “legitimate police operations” and more than 880 others by vigilantes under Duterte, who won the May 9 election on a crime-fighting campaign.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella also reiterated Monday that the Philippines is not parting ways with the UN, and Duterte had mainly been stressing national sovereignty.

”This is all the matter of explaining, as a sovereign nation, we cannot be meddled with,” he was quoted as saying by the state-run Philippine News Agency.

He added that if the UN intended to investigate “unverified” reports of extra-judicial killings, “they should have made formal presentation and not just general statement.”

A Senate probe into the spate of killings began Monday, with police chief dela Rosa telling reporters before the hearing that they “have nothing to hide”.

“We’ve increased police visibility and patrol operations to keep criminals and lawless elements at bay and remove the fear of crime and violence in the hearts of our countrymen,” he said.