UN rights body narrowly passes resolution on Philippines

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Chilean Michelle Bachelet speaks during the opening of the 41th session of the Human Rights Council, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, June 24, 2019 (Magali Girardin/Keystone via AP)

GENEVA — The United Nations’ top human rights body has narrowly passed a resolution that includes calls for greater scrutiny in the Philippines.

The Human Rights Council voted 18-14 with 15 abstentions to approve the resolution on Thursday.

The measure, presented by Iceland, cites allegations of thousands of killings since President Rodrigo Duterte launched a campaign against illegal drugs in mid-2016.

The Philippines immediately rejected the resolution. The country’s ambassador in Geneva, Evan Garcia, said it “does not represent a triumph of human rights, but a travesty of them.”

The resolution calls on the Philippine government to “take all necessary measures to prevent extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.”

It also urges the U.N. human rights office to prepare a written report on the Philippines for consideration at the Human Rights Council’s summer session next year. /jpv

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