President curses UN rapporteur

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CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday showered curses on United Nations Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard for saying that the death of Grade 12 student Kian Loyd delos Santos should be the last in the government’s war against drugs.

Mr. Duterte said Callamard should not threaten the Philippines because it was a sovereign republic and not “a territory of France.”

Callamard’s message

“Tell her she doesn’t scare me,” Mr. Duterte said when asked about Callamard’s statement issued on Saturday as thousands of Filipinos joined a funeral march for Delos Santos, 17, who was killed by policemen during a drug raid in Caloocan City on Aug. 16.

Using Twitter, Callamard sent a message of condolence to the Delos Santos family as well as to other families “victimized” by what she described as a cruel drug campaign.

“My heartfelt condolences to (Kian’s) family and to all families victimized by this cruel war. #Makehisdeaththelast #Philippines,” she said.

Speaking to reporters here, Mr. Duterte called Callamard crazy.

When told that she was French, Mr. Duterte said Callamard should “go home” because violent incidents also happened in her homeland.

“They can detain a person almost indefinitely, under the French law. And the French law says you are guilty, and you have to prove your innocence. It’s like that,” he said.

“Let her come here and see the situation. Do not ever give me that kind of shit. This is the Republic of the Philippines. This is not French territory … She’s not listening to what I’m saying,” he added.

Mr. Duterte said Callamard should read his State of the Nation Address “for guidance.”

“Tell her, ‘You should read, do not threaten,’” Mr. Duterte said.

Meeting with Delos Santoses

Mr. Duterte met Delos Santos’ parents in Malacañang on Monday afternoon and assured them that justice would be served in their son’s death.

The President met for more than an hour with Saldy and Lorenza delos Santos at the Malago Clubhouse in the Palace.

The Palace said the couple had asked for the meeting. The President had lunch with them at around 1 p.m.

“I have no [intention] of covering up abuses. That is not the job of the President,” Mr. Duterte told the Delos Santoses.

“Our job is to protect the people,” he added.

Mr. Duterte promised an impartial investigation of the killing of the student.

He assured the parents that no one would meddle in the case, saying only the prosecutors and the courts would handle it.

Lorenza delos Santos thanked the President and hugged him.

The couple also posed with the President for a picture, doing the “fist pump” that had become Mr. Duterte’s signature gesture.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go accompanied the President during the meeting.

Dante Jimenez and Annie Jereza of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta were also present.