Duterte tells Western countries not to interfere in Philippine affairs

October 19, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte told Western countries on Thursday night not to interfere in Philippine affairs in a speech at the High Level Forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Duterte said the problem is over “so much worry about human rights, about people being killed in the process” but he said the circumstances of the killings should be examined.

“To the Western (countries), please do not impose your will on us. Do not derogate our sovereignty by lecturing on us, the civilities of a country…,” he said.

“…it is not, maybe to your satisfaction that you do not like what we are doing,  but you know, there are things which you have to do because you have to do it or not, then you can do it for us,” Duterte said.

“Tell us, if we are (un)able to deal  with the problem, I will be very happy to order my soldiers and the police to … many Western countries are interested to do it the civilized way, then come I am inviting you to do join the fray  and I would be glad to appoint you the lead role in the problem,” he said.

“Otherwise, if you cannot stop interfering at least be educated in your assessment, for after all, all countries from social problem,” Duterte added.

“We try to correct it along the way, with our meager resources, certainly, not adopt…,” he added.

Duterte said the drug problem is a social one.

“It’s a social problem. You do not come here upon the invitation of an NGO and the opposite political parties and look only on the number of extra-judicial killings,” he said. DMS