President Rodrigo Duterte revealed on Thursday that during his recent visit to Jordan, he was almost tempted to lash out at former United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHCR) High Commissioner and Jordanian Prince Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein for recommending that he undergo a psychiatric test.
He said, however, that that National Security Adviser Hermegones Esperon stopped him from doing so because Jordan is set to give the Philippines two attack helicopters.
READ: Duterte: Jordan is ‘giving’ us 2 Cobra attack chopper
“And imagine iyong chairman ng (UN) commission (on human rights), is the brother [sic] of the King of Jordan. He’s not even elected democratically. Now you come to me, sabihin mo (and tell me that) I need a psychiatrist,” Duterte said in a speech in Malacañang during the oath-taking of the new career executive service officers (CESOs).
“Gusto kong sabihin, ‘Gago ka pala.’ Sabi ni Esperon, ‘Mayor, ’wag gi magpunta man tayo sa Jordan kay bigyan tayo ng helicopter.’ Binigyan nga tayo ng helicopter,” he added.
(I want to say, ‘You are stupid.’ But Esperon said, ‘Mayor, don’t. We went to Jordan so they will give us helicopters. And they are indeed giving us helicopters.)
Zeid, a cousin of King Abdullah II of Jordan, has been a vocal critic of the Duterte’s crackdown on illegal drugs.
Duterte then went on to claim that King Abdullah told him during their meeting in Jordan that he doesn’t like his cousin whom he called a “fake.”
READ: Duterte meets Jordanian King Abdullah II
“Tapos alam mo sabi ng King of Jordan, ‘Do not mind that brother. He’s…’”Duterte said, doing a hand gesture implying that a person is crazy.
“‘I don’t even like him. He’s a fake,” he quoted the King as saying.
During the President’s visit to the Middle Eastern country, the Philippines and Jordan signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on defense cooperation. /ee
READ: PH, Jordan sign 5 agreements to boost relations