Palace shrugs off statement of human rights group on Philippines’ possible removal from UNHRC

October 9, 2017

Malacanang shrugged off on Monday the statement of a human rights group the Philippines could be removed from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNCHR) due to the Duterte government's bloody war on drugs.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said while there were those "watchdogs," which tend to foretell gloomy and depressing scenarios, the truth is other states and governments have strong trade relations with the Philippines.

"These countries continue to treat us with mutual respect; and cognizant of our sovereignty, and they continue to support us in dealing with our domestic challenges and in achieving our national goals without undue interference," he said.

"They continue to have relationships with us and we’re on solid ground, solid economic ground. There’s no need to fear about any changes in relationships," Abella added.

Human Rights Watch Geneva advocacy director John Fisher has claimed the Philippines was in violation of its membership obligations and that the General Assembly would have grounds to consider its removal from the UNHRC.

He has said the Duterte administration was not upholding the highest standard of human rights when people could be killed with impunity.

The Duterte government has been criticized for thousands of drug suspects being killed in the intensified campaign against narcotics.

But the Philippine government has said that it does not condone extrajudicial killings and investigations have been ongoing against rogue policemen. Celerina Monte/DMS