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MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he was “sure” Donald Trump would not raise human rights concerns when they meet in Manila, after the United States President praised his deadly drug war.
Trump landed in the Philippine capital well ahead of two days of summits, and rights groups have urged him to pressure Duterte over the thousands of lives lost in the controversial anti-drugs crackdown.
Duterte expressed confidence this would not happen, saying Trump had already given him “words of encouragement” during a brief encounter on the sidelines of anoth- er regional summit in Vietnam on Saturday.
“He said something about:‘ You know, you handle it very well’,” Duterte said.
He said Trump was referring to the crackdown on drugs as well as a military campaign against Islamic State supporters in the southern Philippines.
When asked if the issue of extra-judicial killings – which rights groups say are rampant in the drug war – would be discussed, Duterte said: “I’m sure he will not take it up”.
Duterte won elections last year after promising to eradicate illegal drugs in society with an unprece- dented crackdown that would see up to 100,000 people killed.
Since he took office, police have reported killing 3,967 people in the crackdown.
Another 2,290 people have been murdered in drug-related crimes, while thousands of other deaths remain unsolved, according to government data.
Many Filipinos back Duterte, believing he is taking necessary measures to fight crime, but rights groups warn he may be orchestrating a crime against humanity.
Amnesty International called on Trump to raise the issue with Duterte, either publicly or privately. “The US has to use its influence and leverage to call out Duterte’s record on human rights,” said Amnesty’s Philippine director Jose Noel Olano. He’ll be meeting a man whose policies are responsible for thousands of unlawful killings, including dozens of children.”
Duterte, 72, last year branded then-US president Barack Obama a “son of a w****” for criticising the drug war.
Relations between the two nations then deteriorated, but ties began to improve when Trump told Duterte in a telephone call in April that he was doing a “great job” with his campaign against narcotics.