Yasay: PH won’t leave UN despite Duterte’s threats

Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. AP FILE PHOTO

Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said the Philippines is not withdrawing its membership from the United Nations even as President Duterte made a threat Sunday criticizing irresponsible statements of UN rapporteurs on summary killings of drug suspects.

READ: Duterte threatens to take PH out of UN

The foreign affairs chief said UN rapporteurs who earlier raised concern on the rising cases of extrajudicial killings in relation to the war on drugs were merely reacting on unverified media reports regarding killings of drug suspects.

“We are committed to the UN despite our numerous frustrations and disappointments with this international agency. But we are certainly not leaving the UN,” said secretary Yasay in a press briefing on Monday.

He said President Duterte’s statement on Sunday was a mere “statement expressing profound disappointments and frustrations and it is not any statement that should indicate a threat to leave the United Nations.”

UN Special Rapporteur on summary executions Agnes Callamard and UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health Dainius Pūras on Friday raised concern over the rapid increase of people being killed, with 650 of them in the last six weeks alone in line with the war on drugs by President Duterte.

READ: Duterte ready to answer UN queries on drug killings

“The President has already made assurance that he will respect human rights and firmly stand against the illegal or criminal killing of people on drug-related offenses,” said Yasay.

The foreign affairs chief said the UN rapporteurs are welcome to investigate the alleged extrajudicial killings of drug suspects in the country “but what’s the use when they have given conclusions that are unverified.” JE/rga